WEBVTT
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Happy Devil's Sunday. This is the Let's Go Devils podcast,
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Sunday edition, season 10, episode 5. I am your host,
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Sam Wu, coming to you live, live from the Primetime
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Radio Studios inside the bunker. Undisclosed location in beautiful New Jersey.
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Cross-continent to the Michael J. Fox Studios in beautiful Beverly Hills, California.
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It's Scotty of Cirrus XM Liquid Metal. And Beer Baron
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is actually in the Andy Green room right now. So
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he'll come in hot.
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He's somewhere.
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He's there. He's there.
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He's there.
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So let's get Beer Baron. Hopefully, we didn't do a
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tech check. He's putting on his hat right now. And
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he's putting on his headset.
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Thank God he's got his hat on.
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Hey, Beer Baron.
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Jeez.
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Yeah.
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Lord knows if he didn't have his hat on.
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You'd see my thinning hair. That's all you'd see.
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I'd tell you to get the hell out of here.
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Minoxidil.
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Yeah.
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Well, it's been an exciting 72 hours. Coming up shortly,
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Chico Rush from the New Jersey Devils color commentator. I
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don't know if it's on the radio, but streaming live
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on Sirius XM. I think that's where they're at, too.
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New Jersey devils.com. He'll be on soon.
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Yeah.
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It's been great. Correct. Your screen is correct.
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We will be having Chico Rush on tonight, which is
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extremely exciting because, you know, I heard there's a new
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goaltender in town and.
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Being that he is a goaltender.
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And someone who has moved around from a couple places.
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He's played on a couple different teams.
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He might have some insight to give us on this
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new goaltending situation going on in New Jersey. So for
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everyone who's chirping away on YouTube already, get some fan
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questions in.
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Corbin, Max, Metalander, Wimpy, what's going on?
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As you guys roll in, you got some questions for Chico?
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Load them up in the YouTube chat.
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And that goes for everyone on Instagram and X and
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Facebook as well.
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If you go over to YouTube, it's a lot easier. But,
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you know, hey, send them wherever. That's why we have
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the producer extraordinaire, Sam Wu.
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And as you notice, they are both rocking their New
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York football Giants hats there.
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We have the.
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And there he goes, of course. Just when I'm going
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to reference his new era hat.
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Sorry, hit the button.
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Which is actually a throwback.
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I actually hit the button.
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Yeah, he goes and he runs away.
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And then there's, I got to be honest with you.
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I like the, you know, the NY was cool for
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a while. But the Giants, like the.
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80s Giants jerseys and that logo.
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Yeah.
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Oh, man.
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Those.
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Those dark navy blue helmets.
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Oh, they look so good.
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They look so good.
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The NY I feel like is the Eli era of
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the Giants. And now I love to go back to
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that 80s, you know, LT, Carl Banks, Phil Simms era.
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And those uniforms.
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And man, when I see those, all those uniforms are so, so, oh,
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they're so slick.
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They're so slick.
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Real quick, I want to say, because I haven't had
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a chance to say it on air or in person
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or even through text, but congratulations, Max, on your recent wedding.
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That's very fun. Very cool. Welcome to the club. It's
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called Nupshules.
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Get it right.
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Nupsh.
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Getting the Nupsh. Getting that done. Good for you. How
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you doing?
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Boys, listen. You nailed it. Last 72 hours. Pretty amazing
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time to be a Devils fan. I I have to
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give Scotty credit because he's been calling for Connor Hellebuck
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for the last, what, three years, four years, five years, whatever. Scotty,
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every time there was a talk about some kind of.
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No, it's actually Sam Wu. Well, I don't know. Scotty
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was the one that brought it up a bunch, too.
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Well, I said it a while ago. I did say
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it a while ago.
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A while ago.
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I'll give myself credit for it.
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Pre-Markstrom. Pre-Markstrom. Yes, I did see your tweet this morning.
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Yes.
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Three years ago.
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Anyway. Yes.
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Scotty was like, you know what? We should get, we
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should get a hell buck or go for it. Go
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out there and try to trade for him. I didn't
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ever think it was going to happen. And to be
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honest with you, I was watching this kind of closely.
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And from all reports that I was seeing that Buffalo
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was in the lead of, of getting one Connor hell buck.
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And I thought it was an all, but done deal.
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There's a lot of reports out there and I'm not
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going to go out there and say this person or
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that person. There was a lot of reports out there
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that were saying that it was in a 100% done deal.
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that there is a three-team trade involved, including the New
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York Rangers. And it just– I don't know if that
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was true. I don't know if that wasn't just panning out.
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But I do know that our boy Sonny– wow.
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That was a– I feel like this is like the
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Chris Farley show with when Paul McCartney's on. He's like,
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you play the album and say Paul is dead, Paul
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is dead.
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That was a hoax.
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That was– That was a hoax, right? Well, you know,
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I wasn't really dead, Chris. That's awesome.
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I wasn't really traded to the Buffalo Sabres, you know?
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Yeah, yeah.
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It was just Ringo.
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Yeah, but listen, man.
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Here's the part that I know a lot of people
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have also been talking about that I think is really interesting.
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Going out and getting an extra goalie and then not
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playing him, just keeping him on the bench, keeping him
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up in the suites and letting him watch. And then
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people were questioning like, well, why did you even bring
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him in here if you're only going to play Allen
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and Dawes? Like you wasted this opportunity. Like, yes, this
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guy's got some clout to him in the AHL, but like,
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is he just going to be, are you going to
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try to send him down? Does he have to like,
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I think all of this was a part of the move, right?
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Like that, that calculation is, when he first got Remy, that's,
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that's a part of this.
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That's a part of this. What's happening now.
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Whether, whether it is or it isn't, we're just going
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to say, yeah, yeah.
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Yeah.
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At the same time, at the same time, Dawes gave
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up 11 goals and what two, two games in the
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midst of it. So that was part of the distraction.
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Yeah. Yeah.
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Yeah.
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It's all an illusion.
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It's all an illusion that people talk about his poker playing,
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but maybe he's a magician. Um, Yeah, it was incredible
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how everything kind of fell into place. And then when
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it went down, the obvious question was, okay, well, who's
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going back in return? You did not want to see
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Gritsuk go. You did not want to see Silyev go.
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You did not want to see a first-round pick go.
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But you knew it was going to be significant. And listen, man,
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losing Dawson Mercer, it's a bummer. We all really love
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Dawson Mercer. I can't think of one Devils fan out
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there that thinks otherwise.
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But look ahead.
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But if you're going to get traded to a new team,
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how frigging sweet is it that your first game is
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the Heritage Classic outdoor on your new team? I mean,
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DM really pulled off a steal right there, you know,
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going back to Winnipeg. And oh, oh, look at my
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first game here, Heritage Classic. So good for Dawson Mercy.
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Yeah.
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Continue. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.
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No, no, no, no.
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I'm just saying, like, He was one of those guys
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that everybody rooted for. Dawson played, what was it, 465,
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give or take, games in a row in a double sweater.
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Hey, Adrian's going to miss the Dawson voice.
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Maybe we'll have.
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A pair for getting a Heritage Classic.
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I don't know if anybody will miss that voice, but
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we'll miss him.
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We'll miss him. The guy was a grinder. Went out
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there every shift.
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He didn't have the finish, and he wasn't scoring as
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much as he would like, but at the same time,
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he was playing his tail off out there. And I mean,
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it was something you could always respect. You could always
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count on Dawson Mercer being in the lineup. He was
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a reliable, he was reliable in a lot of areas
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where he needed him to be reliable. You know, like
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on the PK, he was a great defensive forward. But hey, listen, man,
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you're getting Connor Hellebuck out of it. And if you're
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not excited about that, I can understand the trepidation because
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there are Devils fans that feel that the rock was
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built on an old ancient Indian burial ground and that
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all goalies have been cursed ever since they put up
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that Marty statue up front. But I think this is
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going to change those superstitions.
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Maybe.
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Maybe.
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And yeah, I mean, put your question. I see some
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questions rolling in over here. I see some new peeps
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in the chat here.
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Paulie's.
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Oh, Paulie over here.
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You know what?
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Paulie.
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I think he's uh i think he's an interior decorator.
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He slaughtered all these.
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Czechoslovakians over here what's going on paulie.
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Um randall flagg what's up suicide squad and yes.
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The adrian torres over here says they would miss the
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dawson mercer voice okay so i just want to point
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that out all right some people.
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Actually liked it Hey, guys.
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And Pete.
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Pete, I forgot that name. Nemitz. Wow. I almost forgot
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about that name.
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Hey, guys.
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Our guest, our special guest is in the Andy Green
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room right now. Good friend of the podcast. We're going
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to talk goalies. Connor Hellebuck.
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Chico Resch. Chico, how are you tonight?
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Hey.
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What's up? Chico.
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Welcome to these guys that I've just been listening to.
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But yeah, it's a pretty... It was a great day.
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Good win last night. And, you know, whatever the future holds,
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it looks pretty good, doesn't it, guys?
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It does. It does.
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And it's, you know, it's definitely interesting to see how
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all of this came together as we were just talking about.
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But what was your perspective when you got the news
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that somebody of the caliber of Connor Hellebuck was going
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to be coming into town? How did that feel as
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being because, you know, you're you're a huge part of
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this team. you're a goalie legacy of this team as well,
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but you're.
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Also a fan of the team. So how did, you know,
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how does that feel from those perspectives?
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Well, you know, I know people in Winnipeg scouts and
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people who work for the jets. So, uh, I wasn't,
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I was, I was a little surprised, but what happened
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was you guys, the owner of the jets, this has
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been going on and it's been a distract and you know,
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they're having, uh, you know, uh, outdoor game tonight. Okay.
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So he didn't want it to go on anymore.
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And remember in some ways that limited Shevelday off the GM.
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On what he could do in terms of trades.
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And so Sonny stepped up and I think Sonny gave
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him the best off.
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Like I know he.
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Gave him the best offer any other team did and,
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People in Winnipeg thought, well, we should have got more.
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But as you guys know, it's really hard to make
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a trade, to get a goalie, and then you're going
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to give up one of your top game-changing forwards or
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defense because you're just going sideways, right? And so that
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was what the Jets were up against. They weren't going
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to get, like, I know Buffalo was interested, but they
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weren't going to get Quinn.
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Or, you know, one of the big defensemen.
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There just weren't.
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So Sonny was ready.
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And I think the other thing that helped, and I'll
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just end this here, but Command, the draft pick that
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also went there, a lot of the Winnipeg Jets scouts
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liked him. What did he go, like.
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12th or something last year?
267
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Yes.
268
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Yeah.
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Yep.
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12th.
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Yep.
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Yeah. Yeah. So they liked him. So that helped. you know,
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them to say, Hey, you know, this is the best
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we're going to get. Let's go for it. And so
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I was a little surprised, but you know, when I
276
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heard all that.
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What on before it, then I wasn't as surprised.
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Hmm.
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Yeah.
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All right, Chico.
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I mean, I'm going to give you, I'm going to
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throw a, I'll throw you a little softball over here,
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you know, because there are, you know, the fan bases
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is talking and chatting and, you know, we always have
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our opinions on things and, You know, some fans may say, well,
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this guy is 33 years old.
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Oh, he's got five more years on his contract. You know,
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some people are going to say, hey, he's Vesna trophy
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winner multiple times, Hart trophy winner. Why should devil.
290
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Fans be excited with Connor Hellebuck in net for them?
291
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Well, see, all of that is both valid and then
292
00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:07.860
some of it is over the top. Before I get
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00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:11.070
to the questions, Somebody last night in the postgame asked
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Jack Hughes, well, you know, well, Connor Hellebuck, like, you
295
00:14:13.990 --> 00:14:17.029
got a better shot at the Stanley Cup now? And
296
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he said, hey, we're not going there. Let's not go
297
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that far ahead. And that's– I like Jack's attitude because
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00:14:24.899 --> 00:14:29.320
you don't know. Now, obviously, in the regular season, Hellebuck
299
00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:32.440
was one of the best. I mean, last year it
300
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was– but he also had– remember this, he also had
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one of the best teams ever.
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00:14:37.590 --> 00:14:39.450
I followed Winnipeg. I got friends there.
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00:14:39.490 --> 00:14:43.529
They thought they could make a run, and they had
304
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great regular seasons, right? But in the playoffs, Connor Halibut
305
00:14:48.669 --> 00:14:51.240
did not come through for them like they were hoping.
306
00:14:52.299 --> 00:14:56.019
But it wasn't all his fault. So here's what I
307
00:14:56.179 --> 00:15:01.000
truly feel. Connor Halibut now will definitely get us into
308
00:15:01.019 --> 00:15:05.529
the playoffs, which I've heard– the criteria for winning the
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00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:08.879
cup is you have to make the playoffs. You can't
310
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win the cup. So let's start there. And I think
311
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he's going to bring that, but you know, the other thing,
312
00:15:18.899 --> 00:15:20.799
and that's what we just want to focus on. But
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00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:23.159
what I liked about the guys, they were praising J
314
00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:27.679
Cal and they were praising Nico Dawes or praising.
315
00:15:28.950 --> 00:15:29.490
Mercer.
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00:15:31.049 --> 00:15:33.730
I mean, we've got to put it in perspective that yes,
317
00:15:34.649 --> 00:15:40.100
I think he's, I'll say top 10, maybe even top
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00:15:40.120 --> 00:15:43.659
five goalies in the league. He has been. So we
319
00:15:43.700 --> 00:15:48.279
got him. And I think now with our depth, we
320
00:15:48.340 --> 00:15:52.200
got a shot. But let's remember this, guys. The only
321
00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:54.940
way that Connor Hellenbach is going to be at his
322
00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:58.799
best is if our team is at its best, playing
323
00:15:58.820 --> 00:16:02.899
the kind of defense-first games they've played recently. But here's
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00:16:02.940 --> 00:16:06.049
what I'll tell you about Colin. Connor Hellebuck. He's six
325
00:16:06.090 --> 00:16:11.269
foot four. He's learned his trade. And here's the thing, boys.
326
00:16:12.570 --> 00:16:15.210
From what I got from the people in Winnipeg, he
327
00:16:15.309 --> 00:16:20.250
doesn't beat himself very much. You know what I mean?
328
00:16:20.509 --> 00:16:24.279
He can't win games like Marty Brodeur used to do
329
00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:27.059
when the game was so different. He could win a
330
00:16:27.080 --> 00:16:30.000
game himself. Now it's hard for goalies. But if you
331
00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:34.549
play a structured game in front of Connor Hellebuck, He
332
00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:38.480
is going to be rock solid in there. And that's
333
00:16:38.539 --> 00:16:41.279
what I'm, I'm looking for down the stretch here. You know,
334
00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:43.960
let's like, I'm with Jack Hughes. Let's just take one
335
00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:47.159
step at a time. But I mean, how can you
336
00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:49.220
not like, how can you not like the.
337
00:16:49.179 --> 00:16:53.299
Addition, right? You'd have to be anybody, right.
338
00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:58.200
Anybody who's criticizing it, they just, there's, I guess they
339
00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:00.740
just want to be negative. I don't know because it
340
00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:03.740
was a good deal by Sonny. Agreed.
341
00:17:03.940 --> 00:17:07.980
And have you heard, or do you, do you have
342
00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:11.019
an idea of when we could possibly expect him to
343
00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:12.839
come in? Or do you think it's going to take
344
00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:16.769
a little while before they, they bring them in and
345
00:17:16.869 --> 00:17:18.869
keep Poirier in the lineup as well?
346
00:17:20.490 --> 00:17:24.509
Well, okay. He's here now. It was no practice today.
347
00:17:24.609 --> 00:17:29.230
I'm sure Colin, Connor went out, but tomorrow full practice.
348
00:17:29.269 --> 00:17:29.890
He'll be there.
349
00:17:29.910 --> 00:17:32.890
Then we'll go to Colorado. He won't play, but they'll
350
00:17:32.910 --> 00:17:34.869
have a, a morning skate. You get a lot of
351
00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:40.029
work there. And then to me, the question is, does
352
00:17:40.069 --> 00:17:40.789
he play in.
353
00:17:42.349 --> 00:17:43.009
Colorado?
354
00:17:43.569 --> 00:17:46.250
You know, because that's the second night of the back-to-back.
355
00:17:47.009 --> 00:17:49.529
Or do you get him another practice there, another practice
356
00:17:49.589 --> 00:17:53.450
in Vegas, and then he plays in Vegas. But by
357
00:17:53.490 --> 00:17:56.509
the end of the night, Friday night in Las Vegas,
358
00:17:57.369 --> 00:18:00.170
he will have played. I'm just not sure which game.
359
00:18:00.190 --> 00:18:00.269
Yeah.
360
00:18:02.309 --> 00:18:02.589
Okay.
361
00:18:03.170 --> 00:18:04.759
Yeah.
362
00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:08.259
Because he's been taking shots. He's been in Michigan. He's
363
00:18:08.299 --> 00:18:10.579
been working out. But you guys know, I have to
364
00:18:10.619 --> 00:18:17.559
tell you. I mean, NHL shots from all over, strenuous practice.
365
00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:21.980
You don't get that where he was working out in Michigan.
366
00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:23.619
And you know what?
367
00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:26.319
He wants to do well his first game, right?
368
00:18:26.980 --> 00:18:29.640
He doesn't want to win there. And he's feeling a
369
00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:30.220
little shaky.
370
00:18:32.539 --> 00:18:32.759
Yeah.
371
00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:38.079
Yeah. And so with all this situation that's been, you know,
372
00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:40.799
everything's been going on, a lot of drama in Winnipeg,
373
00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:44.900
you know, since the Olympics, you have the suspension, you know,
374
00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:47.839
the trade demands and stuff like that.
375
00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:50.400
Now he ends up in New Jersey.
376
00:18:51.269 --> 00:18:54.069
Do you, and I'm sure he, you know, I know
377
00:18:54.789 --> 00:18:57.589
athletes don't pay attention as much to the reports and
378
00:18:57.609 --> 00:18:59.549
stuff like that, but I'm sure they've seen the stuff,
379
00:18:59.970 --> 00:19:02.130
you know, like you were just talking about, hey, the
380
00:19:02.170 --> 00:19:05.910
playoff side of things. We've got the regular season, you know, Stupendous,
381
00:19:05.950 --> 00:19:08.250
but then all of a sudden in the playoff, does
382
00:19:08.299 --> 00:19:10.059
this put a chip on his shoulder?
383
00:19:10.630 --> 00:19:13.640
That's going to say, oh yeah, watch this fellas.
384
00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:16.480
Hold my beer because I'm going to go out there
385
00:19:16.500 --> 00:19:19.259
and I'm going to show you now that I am
386
00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:21.960
that top five goaltender in the league.
387
00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:27.980
Guys, I love you dearly. I played for 13 years.
388
00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:31.819
It's not what players do. They don't get motivated by
389
00:19:31.859 --> 00:19:37.950
that outside special interest. They're motivated all the time. Of
390
00:19:38.029 --> 00:19:41.210
course he wants to win a cup, right? He won
391
00:19:41.230 --> 00:19:46.009
a short Olympic gold medal, which was terrific. But if
392
00:19:46.049 --> 00:19:50.819
you've played, here's what I know players are thinking. You played. Yeah.
393
00:19:50.839 --> 00:19:53.529
You know, you made a hundred million dollars in your career.
394
00:19:53.569 --> 00:19:55.650
You had a really good career. And how many cups
395
00:19:55.690 --> 00:19:59.569
did you win? Oh, yeah. You didn't win any because
396
00:19:59.589 --> 00:20:03.619
they got everything else. You have no idea how much
397
00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:06.559
these players are given, not just in salaries, but in
398
00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:11.420
every walk of their life. I've never seen players pampered
399
00:20:11.539 --> 00:20:14.519
as much as I have now. Now, I'm not criticizing
400
00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:16.339
it because that's just the way the world has gone.
401
00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:22.599
But Connor Hellenbach, just down deep, knows that he wants
402
00:20:22.660 --> 00:20:24.660
to win a cup. But here's what I said last
403
00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:25.420
night on the air.
404
00:20:26.339 --> 00:20:28.349
And I don't know.
405
00:20:28.789 --> 00:20:31.529
I was born in Canada. I left when I was 18.
406
00:20:31.529 --> 00:20:36.109
And up until really this Olympics or even before, Canada
407
00:20:36.410 --> 00:20:40.430
was the hockey nation, right? They produced the best hockey
408
00:20:40.470 --> 00:20:43.210
players are known for hockey. Then they lose to the
409
00:20:43.250 --> 00:20:49.200
Americans in the Olympics. But I know it's a fact
410
00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:52.779
for Brady Kachuk leaving Ottawa. And I know it was
411
00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:56.599
a fact for Colin Hellenbach, Connor Hellenbach to say, listen,
412
00:20:57.450 --> 00:20:58.269
I'm American.
413
00:20:58.549 --> 00:20:59.710
I'm playing in Canada.
414
00:21:00.069 --> 00:21:02.170
We have a lot of Canadian teams that come up
415
00:21:02.230 --> 00:21:05.450
and play us, and you're telling me every time we
416
00:21:05.470 --> 00:21:09.569
play their national anthem, you're going to boo it? I
417
00:21:09.630 --> 00:21:14.509
said last night, Canadian teams have trouble getting free agents
418
00:21:15.150 --> 00:21:18.609
if they've got options to go up there. The Canadians,
419
00:21:18.650 --> 00:21:23.960
and they're my countrymen, they better smarten up and not
420
00:21:24.339 --> 00:21:29.430
go crazy over American national anthem or anything that is
421
00:21:29.470 --> 00:21:33.480
going to, uh, tick off the American players up there. Right.
422
00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:34.819
What, why would you do that?
423
00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:38.039
But you know, there's crazies in every, in every part
424
00:21:38.059 --> 00:21:41.140
of the world. And, and some of the stuff that
425
00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:45.119
Colin Connor, excuse me, Connor Hallenbach and his wife had
426
00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:47.500
to put up with after they won the Olympics and
427
00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:53.029
Brady could chuck a little bit too was ridiculous. And so,
428
00:21:53.049 --> 00:21:56.160
so that's, that's part of the issue too. But, No,
429
00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:59.140
Conor wants to win the Cup, but what Jack Hughes
430
00:21:59.180 --> 00:22:02.920
said last night, please, do not, let's not go there.
431
00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:06.710
That is so far down the road, you know? And
432
00:22:06.750 --> 00:22:07.109
you know what?
433
00:22:07.170 --> 00:22:09.109
Jack Hughes has got to win a Cup. Never mind
434
00:22:09.150 --> 00:22:13.029
just Hellebuck. I mean, Jack Hughes, all he's done, he
435
00:22:13.049 --> 00:22:17.319
never played junior, he never played college. Came right in
436
00:22:17.339 --> 00:22:20.500
the NHL. He's been the best player everywhere he's played, okay?
437
00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:24.980
He has. But... if the Devils don't do well in
438
00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:28.480
the playoffs and win a Stanley Cup, that's always going
439
00:22:28.500 --> 00:22:34.089
to be a bone of contention for him. So he
440
00:22:34.119 --> 00:22:37.589
wants to win it too, as do many others. So
441
00:22:37.650 --> 00:22:40.089
that's why they're going to try to downplay the playoffs
442
00:22:40.829 --> 00:22:42.650
until they begin.
443
00:22:43.490 --> 00:22:46.390
But I will say this, the Devils.
444
00:22:46.150 --> 00:22:48.349
Are going to make the playoffs this year, which is
445
00:22:48.390 --> 00:22:49.509
a good start, right, guys?
446
00:22:50.430 --> 00:22:51.829
Yeah, that is a start.
447
00:22:51.890 --> 00:22:52.970
We haven't done that much.
448
00:22:54.029 --> 00:22:54.289
Yeah.
449
00:22:54.349 --> 00:22:57.849
And it's one of, one of our listeners wants to know, um,
450
00:22:59.250 --> 00:23:00.410
his game, hell box game.
451
00:23:00.430 --> 00:23:02.930
Does he play the puck? Well, is he reliable?
452
00:23:03.049 --> 00:23:05.690
Like, you know, getting out of the net and playing
453
00:23:05.710 --> 00:23:08.130
the puck and being that extra man back there.
454
00:23:08.170 --> 00:23:10.880
Yeah. He's a good skater. Let me ask, cause I,
455
00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:13.359
you know, I asked all these questions and he's a
456
00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:15.039
good skater and he's, you know, he's.
457
00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:15.799
Six foot four.
458
00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:18.400
So he might only have to move a little less
459
00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:22.690
than a step, but no, he, he handles the puck. Well, he, um,
460
00:23:23.569 --> 00:23:25.809
he moves well in the crease, you know, when he
461
00:23:25.869 --> 00:23:29.630
had trouble in the playoffs, what I noticed, he would
462
00:23:29.710 --> 00:23:33.950
back into the crease and drop down prematurely. And so
463
00:23:34.009 --> 00:23:37.619
the other team was really shooting up high, but I mean,
464
00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:42.319
that was, I was two, three years ago. He's no dummy.
465
00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:46.339
I'm sure he's corrected that, but no, he can skate. Well,
466
00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:48.529
he could play the puck. I don't know if he
467
00:23:48.549 --> 00:23:52.349
can score a goal like just Durkin, but he's no, he,
468
00:23:53.750 --> 00:23:58.349
There isn't anything really that you could say, yeah, he's good,
469
00:23:58.390 --> 00:24:01.539
but he doesn't do this well. He's a pretty complete goalie.
470
00:24:02.470 --> 00:24:05.900
Yeah, and you look at, speaking of the crosstown rivals,
471
00:24:05.960 --> 00:24:07.519
I mean, you look at the three goalies in the
472
00:24:07.619 --> 00:24:11.380
East right now with Sorokin, Shosturkin, and Hellbuck. I mean,
473
00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:14.779
that's a pretty hefty three-headed monster right there.
474
00:24:16.579 --> 00:24:20.089
Shosturkin lost tonight. Shosturkin, I've been watching. Shosturkin's not the
475
00:24:20.130 --> 00:24:22.450
goalie he was a couple of years ago. Just look
476
00:24:22.490 --> 00:24:24.970
at his stats and look at his play. But that
477
00:24:25.009 --> 00:24:30.009
being said, you know, I mean, Washington has got Thompson.
478
00:24:30.049 --> 00:24:34.680
He's a good goalie. And like you said, Sturken. And
479
00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:38.079
I'm trying to think, the kid in Boston. I'm trying
480
00:24:38.099 --> 00:24:39.500
to think of the teams we're going to face.
481
00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:39.779
Yeah.
482
00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:41.099
Swayman.
483
00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:41.500
Swayman.
484
00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.039
You know.
485
00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:47.210
Yep. So I'm saying you guys are right. Whoever it is,
486
00:24:47.670 --> 00:24:51.539
there's three or four other top goalies. And we got
487
00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:55.369
to say Bussie now, I guess. He did win the cup.
488
00:24:55.119 --> 00:25:00.450
For the Carolina Hurricanes. Yeah, that's true. And you know what,
489
00:25:00.569 --> 00:25:02.349
you guys? Here I always look at it.
490
00:25:03.930 --> 00:25:08.609
If their centerman comes back, sorry, who's been out all
491
00:25:08.650 --> 00:25:13.049
last year for Florida, and he's out this year again.
492
00:25:13.730 --> 00:25:15.430
Oh, Barkov.
493
00:25:15.450 --> 00:25:15.950
Oh, Barkov.
494
00:25:16.609 --> 00:25:17.390
Barkov, thank you.
495
00:25:17.529 --> 00:25:17.890
Barkov, yeah.
496
00:25:19.549 --> 00:25:22.490
So if Barkov comes back and they get it together,
497
00:25:22.930 --> 00:25:28.490
what will be really fascinating if Jacob Markstrom's playing well
498
00:25:28.549 --> 00:25:31.670
and he's the guy at the other end facing the Devils. But,
499
00:25:32.009 --> 00:25:34.910
you know, we can talk about this and it's just,
500
00:25:35.869 --> 00:25:38.930
you know, just talk right now. But yeah, you know,
501
00:25:38.970 --> 00:25:40.970
as good as Hellebuck is and as good as I,
502
00:25:41.349 --> 00:25:44.950
I think the Devils team is the best they've been.
503
00:25:45.009 --> 00:25:46.650
Guys, I don't know what you think. You tell me.
504
00:25:47.289 --> 00:25:49.890
When was the last time that the Devils had this
505
00:25:49.950 --> 00:25:52.250
kind of depth in their lineup.
506
00:25:52.329 --> 00:25:52.950
What do you think?
507
00:25:55.049 --> 00:25:58.490
Well, I feel like we thought we had this depth
508
00:25:58.829 --> 00:26:01.650
for a couple of years, and it turned out that
509
00:26:02.710 --> 00:26:08.210
not as much. But I really have enjoyed what Sonny,
510
00:26:08.269 --> 00:26:10.119
and that's actually a question I want to ask you, too,
511
00:26:10.130 --> 00:26:12.390
in regards to Sonny.
512
00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:17.740
But I loved, absolutely loved him bringing in Evan Rodriguez.
513
00:26:18.339 --> 00:26:22.079
Because he is just one of those you know bring
514
00:26:22.099 --> 00:26:24.940
your lunch pail to work type of players out there
515
00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:29.279
on the ice he's feisty you know like i i
516
00:26:29.339 --> 00:26:30.319
know uh.
517
00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:32.019
I can't remember who we were playing um.
518
00:26:32.839 --> 00:26:34.440
Where he kind of like got the stick up a
519
00:26:34.460 --> 00:26:37.549
little high in that face-off circle where someone kind of
520
00:26:37.569 --> 00:26:39.069
gave him a little push oh yeah i don't know
521
00:26:39.109 --> 00:26:41.369
yeah you don't want to see but for me i
522
00:26:41.490 --> 00:26:44.539
was like oh, hey, we haven't seen that sort of
523
00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:46.190
fire in a couple years.
524
00:26:46.890 --> 00:26:47.890
I like that.
525
00:26:48.410 --> 00:26:50.990
Evan Rodriguez is out there, and this is who I am,
526
00:26:51.029 --> 00:26:52.769
and this is what I'm going to give you. And
527
00:26:52.930 --> 00:26:57.160
I think that is starting to bleed over into the.
528
00:26:57.160 --> 00:26:57.900
Rest of the team.
529
00:26:58.220 --> 00:27:00.839
And also moving Manta down to that third line there
530
00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:05.119
has stretched that scoring depth. So I really like it
531
00:27:05.140 --> 00:27:09.380
bringing back Jesper Boquist. You know, Lombardi has been a
532
00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:13.440
nice find so far. Cody Glass being healthy.
533
00:27:13.619 --> 00:27:20.089
You're forgetting maybe the best trade he made. Luke Evangelista.
534
00:27:20.430 --> 00:27:21.049
Oh, yes.
535
00:27:21.069 --> 00:27:22.910
Oh, Evangelista, yes.
536
00:27:23.910 --> 00:27:27.519
Because we've become kind of friends and he was shocked
537
00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:31.180
they traded him. Now, I know his contract was up and,
538
00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:35.369
you know, they've got Stamkos and they got Philip Forsberg,
539
00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:37.529
and they got the guy on the fan. I mean,
540
00:27:37.630 --> 00:27:41.349
I don't know what their money situation is, but I thought,
541
00:27:42.430 --> 00:27:45.609
you know, Nashville, you need to score more. You need
542
00:27:45.650 --> 00:27:48.529
some top end players. Like, see, here's all I'm saying
543
00:27:48.589 --> 00:27:53.950
is Rodriguez is good, but we had Cody Glass. Cody
544
00:27:53.990 --> 00:27:57.650
Glass is like in that caliber, but now we've got
545
00:27:57.710 --> 00:27:59.849
Rodriguez and Cody Glass.
546
00:27:59.950 --> 00:28:04.460
Last year, we didn't have anybody behind. Then you've got Manta.
547
00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:09.609
Like you say, he looks more comfortable on the third line.
548
00:28:10.069 --> 00:28:11.970
But here's what we didn't know.
549
00:28:12.029 --> 00:28:16.890
Okay, Evangelista fits in well with Meyer and Nikogesha, okay?
550
00:28:17.569 --> 00:28:21.309
But I've been saying for four years, you know, I
551
00:28:21.329 --> 00:28:23.019
played on a Stanley Cup winner.
552
00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:25.119
If you don't have three guys on the.
553
00:28:25.099 --> 00:28:29.779
Line, Jack and Jesper Bratt will not ever be all
554
00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:32.880
they can be. It's just the rule of hockey.
555
00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:35.940
But now, that Gritsuk.
556
00:28:37.240 --> 00:28:37.799
Oh, yeah.
557
00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:41.119
You've got to love his attitude and his skill.
558
00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:46.539
That coast-to-coast goal the other game was great that he had.
559
00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:50.779
Yeah. And, you know, after he made the star, you
560
00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:52.940
guys maybe weren't there, but you know how guys just
561
00:28:52.980 --> 00:28:54.680
come out and they'll circle a little bit with the
562
00:28:54.740 --> 00:28:56.930
puck and throw it to the same group of people?
563
00:28:56.970 --> 00:28:57.960
All the way to the other side of the ice.
564
00:28:57.990 --> 00:28:58.650
He went flying.
565
00:28:58.670 --> 00:28:59.789
Remember?
566
00:28:59.829 --> 00:29:01.970
He went all the way down into the other team's
567
00:29:02.130 --> 00:29:05.680
end and He's got that kind of free spirit.
568
00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:06.680
Yeah.
569
00:29:06.819 --> 00:29:07.759
And you know what?
570
00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:10.680
To play with those two guys, you've got to go
571
00:29:10.819 --> 00:29:14.019
east and west. I mean, across ice as well as
572
00:29:14.180 --> 00:29:16.160
up and down. You've got to know when to go
573
00:29:16.200 --> 00:29:17.640
to the front of the net. You just don't go
574
00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:19.849
park yourself in front of the net. You've got to
575
00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:22.470
look to see when can I give Jack an out.
576
00:29:22.950 --> 00:29:24.789
Jack's being pressured. Do you know what I mean?
577
00:29:24.829 --> 00:29:28.339
Like, to me, he is such a find out.
578
00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:36.619
And, you know, in our draft picks haven't been, let's
579
00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:39.750
be honest, they haven't been impact players in the last three,
580
00:29:39.769 --> 00:29:43.539
four years. five years so yeah he's another fine so
581
00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:46.099
i just don't know and on defense you know we
582
00:29:46.119 --> 00:29:49.140
got seven guys that can play and and i don't
583
00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:52.200
know what will happen down the road but i don't
584
00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:53.660
know any teams that have.
585
00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:58.160
Any more depth than we do i i really don't.
586
00:29:58.809 --> 00:30:01.849
Yeah, and well-balanced, too. Well-balanced depth.
587
00:30:03.369 --> 00:30:06.230
Yeah, and that's, you know, Chico, I wanted to ask you,
588
00:30:06.769 --> 00:30:10.799
you know, because Siliev was not included, you know, in
589
00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:15.180
that trade. So, from a GM perspective, we're talking about Rodriguez,
590
00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:19.240
we're talking about Evangelista, you know, what do you feel
591
00:30:19.319 --> 00:30:22.509
like is almost like a review of Sonny's work so far?
592
00:30:23.049 --> 00:30:26.089
Getting Hellebuck in here, you know, yes, we lost Dawson Mercer,
593
00:30:26.130 --> 00:30:29.430
but hey, that's a pretty good deal for the Devils,
594
00:30:29.529 --> 00:30:33.150
not giving up any extra first-round picks. Yes, command, okay,
595
00:30:33.210 --> 00:30:38.150
but not giving up any other future first-rounders. Dawson Mercer, Bustad,
596
00:30:38.170 --> 00:30:41.109
who is injured right now, bringing evangelism.
597
00:30:41.390 --> 00:30:42.750
And he's getting.
598
00:30:42.549 --> 00:30:45.029
Rave reviews from Winnipeg's GM saying, oh, it was a
599
00:30:45.130 --> 00:30:47.910
pleasure working with this guy, like so professional.
600
00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:50.690
And man, he got down and serious.
601
00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:53.750
What would you say, like from a GM perspective, you know,
602
00:30:53.809 --> 00:30:57.299
like how Sonny is doing overall for this team?
603
00:30:59.240 --> 00:31:01.779
Well, okay, one thing I think we all like, Sonny
604
00:31:01.819 --> 00:31:03.940
didn't come in and say, you know, I want to
605
00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:06.220
be the GM here for like five or ten years.
606
00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:09.359
I'm going to just tiptoe along and play it safe
607
00:31:09.460 --> 00:31:14.000
and not put myself on the spot. No. He saw
608
00:31:14.039 --> 00:31:17.519
it and thought, I want to go for it right away. Now,
609
00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:22.740
to get, you know, to get Markstrom out, traded down
610
00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:25.640
to Florida. They had a want to get rid of Bobrovsky,
611
00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:27.700
but I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what happens here.
612
00:31:27.819 --> 00:31:30.619
I know Bobrovsky and he wins two cups. He has
613
00:31:30.720 --> 00:31:32.440
one bad year and then you, you don't want them.
614
00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:36.269
But I think they think Markstrom's never won a cup.
615
00:31:37.069 --> 00:31:41.089
And just what you were saying earlier, the hunger to
616
00:31:41.150 --> 00:31:44.750
win a cup has got to be so strong inside
617
00:31:44.769 --> 00:31:45.369
a player.
618
00:31:45.849 --> 00:31:48.289
It doesn't come from the outside. It comes from within.
619
00:31:48.309 --> 00:31:51.180
And I think he thought, you know, Bobrovsky has been
620
00:31:51.220 --> 00:31:54.140
to the mountaintop. He's going down the other side, but
621
00:31:54.220 --> 00:31:58.049
Markstrom's never been there. He's never, and he's hungry. So
622
00:31:58.089 --> 00:32:01.450
we'll make a trade. That was brilliant by Sonny, right?
623
00:32:02.069 --> 00:32:05.349
And then he got those other players and I'm going
624
00:32:05.369 --> 00:32:07.630
to wait till we go into Nashville, but I am
625
00:32:07.750 --> 00:32:13.450
still amazed why Nashville traded Evangelista. And I asked him,
626
00:32:13.509 --> 00:32:16.970
he doesn't know. He said he shot, he shocked. So
627
00:32:17.289 --> 00:32:22.190
that was a good trade. And, um, You know, Chisholm,
628
00:32:23.170 --> 00:32:24.670
he's a nice pickup, right?
629
00:32:25.769 --> 00:32:25.990
Yeah.
630
00:32:26.049 --> 00:32:31.230
You know, I mean, he's needed an extra defense. Yeah. So,
631
00:32:32.109 --> 00:32:38.170
and then this Hellebutt trade, I mean, let's be honest.
632
00:32:38.650 --> 00:32:41.960
Everything Sonny's done, you cannot question it.
633
00:32:42.450 --> 00:32:42.910
You can't.
634
00:32:43.049 --> 00:32:46.410
But that being said, the guys that he got still
635
00:32:46.450 --> 00:32:49.029
have to come through, right? Yep.
636
00:32:49.329 --> 00:32:49.549
Right.
637
00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:51.619
And prove it on the ice.
638
00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:52.640
Yeah.
639
00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:55.599
And so far to, to your, to your point of
640
00:32:55.819 --> 00:33:00.119
evangelista has, has paid dividends so far. And, you know,
641
00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:03.880
it just, it feels like bringing up the, the, uh,
642
00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:05.529
the depth of the team. I know a lot of
643
00:33:05.549 --> 00:33:08.029
people in the, uh, the YouTube chat were saying the
644
00:33:08.069 --> 00:33:09.829
last time they felt like they had this kind of
645
00:33:09.869 --> 00:33:12.329
depth was 2012 where you could go out and you
646
00:33:12.369 --> 00:33:15.009
can roll those four lines. He had that Carter Gionta
647
00:33:15.069 --> 00:33:17.569
line and you could really get some, you know.
648
00:33:17.589 --> 00:33:18.029
Things going.
649
00:33:18.569 --> 00:33:21.180
I feel the same way, but you, You also nailed
650
00:33:21.500 --> 00:33:25.569
Gritsiuk has been such a joy to watch and this
651
00:33:25.670 --> 00:33:28.569
maturation of like his game of being on this line.
652
00:33:28.630 --> 00:33:30.970
And you could see he put, it's not even on
653
00:33:31.049 --> 00:33:32.329
puck off puck.
654
00:33:32.369 --> 00:33:34.009
He's putting himself in the right spot.
655
00:33:34.670 --> 00:33:39.650
He's, you know, that, that goal playing well defensively, it
656
00:33:39.670 --> 00:33:42.579
just seems like it unlocked a different part of his game.
657
00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:47.299
And he's, he's elevated his, yeah, it's elevated his level
658
00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:51.369
to match the level of Jack and Jesper. And I
659
00:33:51.390 --> 00:33:53.309
don't know if it was on purpose, but that, that
660
00:33:53.630 --> 00:33:55.789
empty net goal in the last game where Jack gave
661
00:33:55.809 --> 00:33:58.500
it to Gritsuk to get that empty netter. I wonder
662
00:33:58.539 --> 00:34:00.400
if that was because he's gotten four in a row
663
00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:02.039
and he wanted to get him a fifth in a row.
664
00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:05.160
I don't know if Jack maybe was being selfless in
665
00:34:05.200 --> 00:34:07.180
that moment, but if so, if not either way, it
666
00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:10.250
was great. But yeah, the three of them seem to
667
00:34:10.309 --> 00:34:13.010
be really clicking and hopefully that can continue.
668
00:34:13.070 --> 00:34:13.269
Right.
669
00:34:15.050 --> 00:34:15.289
Right.
670
00:34:15.349 --> 00:34:19.480
And this wasn't planned, but you know, You know, I
671
00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:20.320
don't like the term.
672
00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:22.860
Guys, don't use it. Like the team's buying in. I
673
00:34:22.900 --> 00:34:25.539
say buying into what? You know what they're buying into?
674
00:34:25.559 --> 00:34:26.460
They want to win.
675
00:34:26.940 --> 00:34:30.159
And you know how you win? You play defense first.
676
00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:33.030
And you play on selflessly. And I think that's what
677
00:34:33.090 --> 00:34:37.210
Jack realized. I don't know how many goals Jack has scored.
678
00:34:37.250 --> 00:34:39.849
He's going to score so many more. But you just
679
00:34:39.889 --> 00:34:41.849
think you're sitting on the bench and you're his teammate.
680
00:34:42.289 --> 00:34:45.320
And he goes down and he scores at himself. Are
681
00:34:45.340 --> 00:34:48.449
you going to think, oh, that's great? No, you're not
682
00:34:48.489 --> 00:34:51.070
going to think as much of it as if when
683
00:34:51.110 --> 00:34:54.010
he passed over to Gritsuk and let him score. And
684
00:34:54.050 --> 00:34:58.349
that's every guy on that team has got to become
685
00:34:58.510 --> 00:35:01.599
totally unselfish, but they've got to do it.
686
00:35:01.579 --> 00:35:02.320
In their own end.
687
00:35:02.780 --> 00:35:04.780
And I got to tell you guys sitting on the bench,
688
00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:08.300
you have no idea how in tune those guys are
689
00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:12.760
watching their teammates do little things. They're unselfish. You know,
690
00:35:12.820 --> 00:35:14.730
he really paid the price there. He gave up his
691
00:35:14.829 --> 00:35:19.000
body like Pesci. I mean, You know, Pesci's just, so,
692
00:35:19.860 --> 00:35:23.650
you know, what we've got, and even like now, okay,
693
00:35:23.670 --> 00:35:26.889
you got Luke Hughes. Guys, let's not start saying, oh yeah,
694
00:35:26.929 --> 00:35:27.969
Luke Hughes got to score more.
695
00:35:27.989 --> 00:35:28.730
He's got to score more.
696
00:35:29.349 --> 00:35:33.050
He'll score some more, but no, he's playing defense first.
697
00:35:33.110 --> 00:35:36.880
I've always said to him, what's your job as a defenseman?
698
00:35:37.889 --> 00:35:38.619
Protect the goalie?
699
00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:42.059
I said, yes. And so if we're going to win,
700
00:35:42.820 --> 00:35:44.739
and there's going to be some games where the D
701
00:35:44.800 --> 00:35:47.369
is going to be loose. But you see the last
702
00:35:47.449 --> 00:35:51.840
three games, the Rangers and the game the other night
703
00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:56.500
and the game they won before that. Yeah. It's like
704
00:35:57.239 --> 00:36:01.340
you shut the other team down, get them frustrated. Everybody's
705
00:36:01.389 --> 00:36:03.969
part of that. You know, when you're just scoring goals,
706
00:36:04.289 --> 00:36:07.550
not everybody's part of that, right? The guy scoring goals
707
00:36:07.630 --> 00:36:10.369
and making the plays they are, but everybody else, like,
708
00:36:10.690 --> 00:36:13.409
that's what I loved about Pesci's goal. That guy had
709
00:36:13.469 --> 00:36:19.179
stopped so many goals. That's overlooked. But then last night,
710
00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:20.360
he got the game winner.
711
00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:23.420
And how they celebrated, too.
712
00:36:23.480 --> 00:36:23.739
Yeah.
713
00:36:23.840 --> 00:36:25.699
You see how the guys were super excited for him.
714
00:36:26.760 --> 00:36:30.309
The old toe drag there from Brett Pesci. Didn't have
715
00:36:30.329 --> 00:36:33.909
that on the big old card going in, you know? Nope.
716
00:36:34.329 --> 00:36:35.789
Nope.
717
00:36:35.929 --> 00:36:39.519
And they were so excited for him. But it's got
718
00:36:39.539 --> 00:36:42.420
to be team. And remember, there's only going to be
719
00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:45.280
at the end of the year, how many teams are
720
00:36:45.300 --> 00:36:46.900
going to get to hold the Stanley Cup?
721
00:36:47.610 --> 00:36:47.820
One.
722
00:36:47.860 --> 00:36:48.469
Just one.
723
00:36:49.010 --> 00:36:49.159
One.
724
00:36:50.030 --> 00:36:53.630
And we could be part of five, but will we
725
00:36:53.670 --> 00:36:54.369
be the one?
726
00:36:55.289 --> 00:36:55.829
You know what I mean?
727
00:36:55.869 --> 00:37:00.510
That's what you got to build all that inside, that internal,
728
00:37:02.130 --> 00:37:04.809
more than just talking. Everybody talks a great game, as
729
00:37:04.849 --> 00:37:08.550
you know. But when Jack Hughes did there, that was terrific.
730
00:37:09.280 --> 00:37:11.800
It wasn't his talk. It was what you saw he did.
731
00:37:12.619 --> 00:37:16.920
Same thing the other night. Pesci, he sees there's nobody
732
00:37:17.059 --> 00:37:19.809
on him. He puts his knee down and uses his
733
00:37:19.849 --> 00:37:22.730
gloves so the puck doesn't bounce over a stick. Then
734
00:37:22.769 --> 00:37:25.309
he shoots it. And who puts in the rebound for
735
00:37:25.329 --> 00:37:30.800
a big goal? Anthony Mantha. It's those little things that
736
00:37:30.840 --> 00:37:35.719
you got to look at that the players notice. Wow,
737
00:37:35.780 --> 00:37:40.199
that guy. And And those guys love Nico Dawes, and
738
00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:43.579
they love Jake Allen, and they love Dawson Mercer. And,
739
00:37:43.960 --> 00:37:47.090
you know, they love those guys. And that's what they
740
00:37:47.159 --> 00:37:50.670
really were feeling a little bit. But they will learn also,
741
00:37:50.710 --> 00:37:54.389
I think, to love Hellebuck. But it's, you know, just
742
00:37:54.530 --> 00:37:56.090
one step at a time, right, guys?
743
00:37:56.829 --> 00:37:57.969
We don't want to race ahead.
744
00:37:59.090 --> 00:37:59.949
No, absolutely.
745
00:38:01.670 --> 00:38:03.429
And speaking of, you know, we were just talking about
746
00:38:03.530 --> 00:38:06.070
Sonny as a GM and, you know, our goaltending team.
747
00:38:07.190 --> 00:38:08.409
When you bring in a.
748
00:38:08.730 --> 00:38:11.090
Guy like a Connor Hellebuck, who obviously is going to
749
00:38:11.110 --> 00:38:15.789
be your number one, he's already locked into five more
750
00:38:15.809 --> 00:38:18.719
years on this contract.
751
00:38:19.480 --> 00:38:23.780
Where does that put Malik in the AHL?
752
00:38:23.940 --> 00:38:25.940
And a guy that I know a lot of fans
753
00:38:25.980 --> 00:38:30.679
have been excited about, Yegorov, who is still playing in
754
00:38:30.739 --> 00:38:34.510
college right now. But what does that, does that change
755
00:38:34.690 --> 00:38:40.190
anything for them? Do they become, you know, maybe trade chips?
756
00:38:40.250 --> 00:38:43.130
Do they, you know, like, is there any difference then,
757
00:38:43.349 --> 00:38:46.150
you know, now that you have a hella buck signed
758
00:38:46.250 --> 00:38:47.110
for five years?
759
00:38:49.179 --> 00:38:50.000
Well, of course.
760
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:52.739
I mean, but you don't know that that guy, was
761
00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:53.659
he Boston College?
762
00:38:53.679 --> 00:38:55.639
Mm-hmm.
763
00:38:55.659 --> 00:38:56.260
Boston U.
764
00:38:56.300 --> 00:38:57.619
BU, BU, BU, yeah.
765
00:38:57.699 --> 00:39:01.150
Yeah. You don't know. Like I say to people, could
766
00:39:01.190 --> 00:39:04.309
you quit, especially unless you've played a goal at a
767
00:39:04.369 --> 00:39:09.750
high level, quit trying to predict what these guys, don't
768
00:39:09.789 --> 00:39:13.150
put the crown on them till they earn the crown. But,
769
00:39:13.409 --> 00:39:14.929
you know, you say, yeah, we're going to, and I
770
00:39:14.989 --> 00:39:17.980
know this is part of being a fan and media. Oh,
771
00:39:17.989 --> 00:39:19.670
you know, he's going to be good. They want to
772
00:39:19.730 --> 00:39:22.510
go out early and say, yeah, I knew that. But no,
773
00:39:23.429 --> 00:39:27.429
Hellebuck is going to be, the go-to guy for, let's
774
00:39:27.449 --> 00:39:32.469
just say, three to four years. If he's good. Nobody
775
00:39:32.530 --> 00:39:36.019
else is going to be playing regular. You've got to
776
00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:40.320
go with him. I don't know what's going to happen
777
00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:46.599
to those other guys, but Devin Levy has finally got
778
00:39:46.639 --> 00:39:49.349
a spot in Remember, he was coming out of college
779
00:39:49.389 --> 00:39:52.590
and he was going to be the greatest goalie ever
780
00:39:52.650 --> 00:39:56.349
in the history of mankind. And it didn't work out.
781
00:39:57.320 --> 00:40:00.739
And now he's at Edmonton and he's hurt, but he's
782
00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:05.039
playing okay. But again, this guy, oh, he can't miss.
783
00:40:05.079 --> 00:40:08.239
He's going to be great. I've just seen, well, we're
784
00:40:08.280 --> 00:40:09.219
talking about Gritsik.
785
00:40:09.550 --> 00:40:12.329
I don't know what his top end level is, guys,
786
00:40:13.070 --> 00:40:16.260
but that guy has a little bit. He's got a
787
00:40:16.260 --> 00:40:20.900
little something inside him that just seems to separate him.
788
00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:23.880
And how far it takes him, we're going to have
789
00:40:23.920 --> 00:40:25.239
a good time watching.
790
00:40:26.510 --> 00:40:27.929
Yeah.
791
00:40:27.989 --> 00:40:31.510
So one of our listeners is asking, do you think
792
00:40:31.530 --> 00:40:34.710
there will be another move upcoming? We have a backup
793
00:40:34.789 --> 00:40:38.389
forwards on the roster and no cap to recall Nason.
794
00:40:38.929 --> 00:40:42.280
Does Poirier get waived now or in a different move
795
00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:44.909
like coming in? So do you, I don't know if
796
00:40:44.949 --> 00:40:47.050
you have privy to anything that you hear, but.
797
00:40:48.730 --> 00:40:51.530
Well, here's, here's guys. We've got a hundred thousand dollars
798
00:40:52.530 --> 00:40:57.030
to spend, right? With Hellebuck Wentz's car contract. We're a
799
00:40:57.070 --> 00:41:01.719
hundred thousand dollars under the cap. So if it's me,
800
00:41:02.840 --> 00:41:04.639
I don't know why he has to make another move.
801
00:41:05.300 --> 00:41:08.099
Let's see if the, because you need two top lines.
802
00:41:08.139 --> 00:41:11.059
You need two top centermen. And now we've got two
803
00:41:11.159 --> 00:41:15.949
lines here. that can be pretty solid. If one's being
804
00:41:15.989 --> 00:41:18.250
shut down or not doing their best, the other guy
805
00:41:18.289 --> 00:41:21.710
can step up. We got a terrific third line. I mean,
806
00:41:21.730 --> 00:41:24.809
you're asking these guys to buy in, but then you're saying, yeah,
807
00:41:24.849 --> 00:41:27.130
but we're going to maybe trade up if we can.
808
00:41:27.150 --> 00:41:29.809
I don't know. Can you trade up from Connor Brown?
809
00:41:30.389 --> 00:41:34.110
Like that guy is a great third or fourth line
810
00:41:34.269 --> 00:41:35.489
and he loves it. Yes.
811
00:41:36.690 --> 00:41:36.909
Yeah.
812
00:41:37.429 --> 00:41:39.849
So that's all I'm saying. If I'm sunny and I,
813
00:41:40.559 --> 00:41:42.480
I know Sonny. He was down in Florida.
814
00:41:42.860 --> 00:41:43.599
He knew.
815
00:41:44.360 --> 00:41:49.039
He saw Bobrovsky play in the playoffs. He knows that
816
00:41:49.260 --> 00:41:52.199
the Devils needed, if they.
817
00:41:52.099 --> 00:41:53.119
Could, a go-to guy.
818
00:41:53.239 --> 00:41:55.920
I don't know. Nico does. I like him. I like
819
00:41:55.960 --> 00:41:59.840
his style. He can be a really good goalie. But
820
00:41:59.889 --> 00:42:03.789
to get Connor Halibut, who's the history he has, right?
821
00:42:04.630 --> 00:42:07.670
You got to go for that. So I would just
822
00:42:07.809 --> 00:42:10.760
lay low, let this team develop. And, you know, the
823
00:42:10.800 --> 00:42:14.000
other thing, the coach has got to.
824
00:42:13.960 --> 00:42:16.019
Mesh with the players.
825
00:42:16.099 --> 00:42:19.480
He doesn't make them better, but the players have got
826
00:42:19.519 --> 00:42:25.039
to know that this coach can push the right buttons,
827
00:42:25.139 --> 00:42:29.449
make the right choices in the game for us to
828
00:42:29.489 --> 00:42:33.130
be our best, you know? And I played for Al Arbor,
829
00:42:33.349 --> 00:42:35.710
you know, the greatest coach ever in my mind. So,
830
00:42:36.090 --> 00:42:39.010
you know, there's things that now have to start being developed.
831
00:42:39.429 --> 00:42:43.489
So let's just, take it easy right now and let
832
00:42:43.550 --> 00:42:47.289
it unfold. And I'm not even looking for anything else
833
00:42:47.349 --> 00:42:47.809
right now.
834
00:42:48.389 --> 00:42:49.090
I really not.
835
00:42:49.730 --> 00:42:52.659
I don't see where, you know, like Quinn Hughes can't
836
00:42:52.699 --> 00:42:57.199
come in now. That's ridiculous. Be ridiculous. You wouldn't want
837
00:42:57.219 --> 00:43:00.320
them in right now. You want this group to develop
838
00:43:00.500 --> 00:43:04.159
a sense of who they are and we're a team.
839
00:43:04.590 --> 00:43:05.530
And you know what I mean?
840
00:43:06.230 --> 00:43:06.710
It's yeah.
841
00:43:08.320 --> 00:43:11.199
Yeah. So now down the road, I really don't know
842
00:43:11.239 --> 00:43:14.869
what's going to happen with Quinn Hughes, but you know, that,
843
00:43:14.909 --> 00:43:17.789
that'll play out, but we don't have the money yet.
844
00:43:18.650 --> 00:43:19.230
Right guys.
845
00:43:19.309 --> 00:43:23.030
We don't have the money yet. Yeah. Yeah. You know,
846
00:43:23.130 --> 00:43:26.269
the cap's going up 10 million next year. So you
847
00:43:26.289 --> 00:43:29.909
got 10 million, you'll be able to give him and
848
00:43:31.550 --> 00:43:34.750
Brendan Dillon's probably not going to be back. And so
849
00:43:34.789 --> 00:43:39.840
there's four. That's that'd be 14. And then I don't
850
00:43:39.880 --> 00:43:42.820
know what Stefan Nason has. I think he's three or four.
851
00:43:43.340 --> 00:43:46.539
My point being is you're going to have to free
852
00:43:46.619 --> 00:43:51.219
up some, if you would get Quinn and you, you know,
853
00:43:51.260 --> 00:43:53.860
you gotta, you gotta be careful where you get it.
854
00:43:54.429 --> 00:43:59.050
But yeah, but right now we should be good enough
855
00:43:59.269 --> 00:44:03.230
with the guys we have to make the playoffs. And
856
00:44:03.269 --> 00:44:05.329
I think we could make a real good run in
857
00:44:05.369 --> 00:44:07.719
the playoffs, but, I want to wait and see.
858
00:44:09.619 --> 00:44:14.010
Do you think, Chico, the team, the way it's constructed now,
859
00:44:14.030 --> 00:44:17.130
and like you said, I think they're still finding their
860
00:44:17.210 --> 00:44:20.809
identity and everything, but do you think this team right
861
00:44:20.849 --> 00:44:23.650
now could maybe contend with Carolina?
862
00:44:23.670 --> 00:44:24.929
Because that's been the.
863
00:44:26.150 --> 00:44:29.710
The ultra roadblock for this team for the last number
864
00:44:29.730 --> 00:44:31.730
of years and for a lot of teams in general
865
00:44:32.449 --> 00:44:35.389
is the Carolina Hurricanes with Coach Brindamore and how he
866
00:44:35.429 --> 00:44:38.429
gets that team ready to go every single season.
867
00:44:38.949 --> 00:44:41.570
But do you think the way they're constructed, they could,
868
00:44:42.090 --> 00:44:45.070
you know, possibly hang with the Canes?
869
00:44:46.889 --> 00:44:47.449
Absolutely.
870
00:44:47.570 --> 00:44:48.710
And that's a good analysis.
871
00:44:49.070 --> 00:44:53.530
But remember, guys, the last years we've had our top
872
00:44:53.730 --> 00:44:55.710
two lines have only had two players.
873
00:44:56.179 --> 00:44:57.179
It wasn't a line.
874
00:44:57.699 --> 00:45:02.179
Even with Nico and Timo Meier, you know, Brown played
875
00:45:02.219 --> 00:45:04.920
there and then Mercer played there. But you did not
876
00:45:04.980 --> 00:45:11.800
have a legitimate first-line winger. I hope Evangelista is that.
877
00:45:11.880 --> 00:45:15.559
So now that line's solid. And then if Gritsuk with
878
00:45:15.659 --> 00:45:19.820
Bratt and Hughes, there's our second line because that's what
879
00:45:19.860 --> 00:45:24.460
Carolina had. And remember, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy
880
00:45:24.500 --> 00:45:24.900
last year?
881
00:45:27.250 --> 00:45:28.869
Slate, not Slavin, but.
882
00:45:32.190 --> 00:45:34.289
Stahl. Stahl.
883
00:45:34.309 --> 00:45:35.750
George Stahl, yeah.
884
00:45:35.809 --> 00:45:37.519
He's 36 to 37. Yeah.
885
00:45:37.639 --> 00:45:37.900
Right?
886
00:45:37.940 --> 00:45:43.960
So I'm saying who's going to predict? But you know
887
00:45:43.980 --> 00:45:44.260
what I mean?
888
00:45:44.340 --> 00:45:45.519
I'm sorry I forgot.
889
00:45:45.579 --> 00:45:46.840
No, I'm only laughing.
890
00:45:46.980 --> 00:45:49.750
I'm only laughing because for whatever reason, my brain was
891
00:45:49.789 --> 00:45:51.610
like Mitch Marder. And I'm like, no, no, no, Mitch
892
00:45:51.650 --> 00:45:56.809
Marder should have won. But George Stahl had an incredible
893
00:45:56.849 --> 00:45:58.630
playoff run, and especially the cup run.
894
00:45:58.670 --> 00:45:59.789
But yes, go on. I'm sorry.
895
00:46:00.909 --> 00:46:01.730
No, no, no, no.
896
00:46:01.769 --> 00:46:04.369
And you're both right. And I'm saying, I guarantee you
897
00:46:04.409 --> 00:46:08.500
that either Marner or Carter Hart would.
898
00:46:08.389 --> 00:46:10.070
Have won the MVP if they'd won the cup.
899
00:46:10.389 --> 00:46:10.820
They would have.
900
00:46:11.059 --> 00:46:11.460
Oh, yeah.
901
00:46:11.599 --> 00:46:14.860
But they faltered with three games to go. And I
902
00:46:14.880 --> 00:46:17.679
got to say, Roddy Brindamore and the staff there was smart.
903
00:46:17.699 --> 00:46:21.139
They put in Bussey, the Long Island guy, and he
904
00:46:21.159 --> 00:46:22.280
plays unbelievable.
905
00:46:22.380 --> 00:46:24.559
And they play it. You know, it just all flipped.
906
00:46:25.239 --> 00:46:31.349
So I'm just saying for us, we're like, I, I
907
00:46:31.449 --> 00:46:33.530
used to talk not so much on the air, but
908
00:46:33.630 --> 00:46:35.829
I talked to mad ear people that know.
909
00:46:35.889 --> 00:46:37.590
And I'd say, you know, we got a hole here.
910
00:46:38.010 --> 00:46:38.909
You know, let's be honest.
911
00:46:38.929 --> 00:46:40.949
There's a hole there. You got to have someone playing
912
00:46:40.969 --> 00:46:43.429
with Jack. He can't, it can't be a two man line.
913
00:46:43.489 --> 00:46:46.099
Never in the history of hockey. Have I seen a
914
00:46:46.159 --> 00:46:48.920
two man line carry a team or really be dominant.
915
00:46:49.260 --> 00:46:52.820
So you needed that third guy. But when I ask
916
00:46:52.860 --> 00:46:56.980
you guys now, where is our poll?
917
00:46:58.099 --> 00:46:58.829
I don't see it.
918
00:47:00.880 --> 00:47:01.800
Yeah.
919
00:47:01.920 --> 00:47:04.960
The only hope that I have, though, is to see,
920
00:47:05.260 --> 00:47:07.639
and he's been playing great. He's been doing all the
921
00:47:07.679 --> 00:47:10.429
right things, is to see Timo Meier, because that poor
922
00:47:10.469 --> 00:47:13.670
guy's been snakebitten, put someone in that.
923
00:47:14.730 --> 00:47:16.090
Except in the month of March.
924
00:47:16.849 --> 00:47:17.389
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
925
00:47:17.409 --> 00:47:19.650
Except in the month of March. You see the efforts there,
926
00:47:19.690 --> 00:47:21.949
and he's been playing. He likes to score, then. Yeah,
927
00:47:21.989 --> 00:47:23.190
he's been playing great.
928
00:47:23.469 --> 00:47:27.550
He's not going to start filling the nets, guys. You've
929
00:47:27.570 --> 00:47:30.349
got to live with that. He's got to be, you know,
930
00:47:30.409 --> 00:47:33.349
hard on the puck. He's all in every game. But
931
00:47:33.369 --> 00:47:35.590
you're going to need Nico to finish some.
932
00:47:35.769 --> 00:47:37.690
And, you know, Evangelista.
933
00:47:37.909 --> 00:47:41.530
But remember, if you go down the list in even Carolina,
934
00:47:41.550 --> 00:47:46.599
they won. Not every player was scoring goals. Like, I
935
00:47:46.659 --> 00:47:50.179
know what you mean. And Timo's shooting percentage now is
936
00:47:50.239 --> 00:47:56.670
about 2%. But he's trying. And he's better later on.
937
00:47:57.130 --> 00:47:57.730
But you're right.
938
00:47:57.849 --> 00:48:01.329
I mean, a guy like him, he's got to get
939
00:48:01.369 --> 00:48:05.170
to 25. I wish he could go 35 and 40.
940
00:48:05.170 --> 00:48:09.380
But on a well-balanced team that's defense first and does
941
00:48:09.409 --> 00:48:12.139
all those things, if he could just get to 25,
942
00:48:12.119 --> 00:48:14.260
I'll be really happy.
943
00:48:15.539 --> 00:48:16.440
If he does the other stuff.
944
00:48:18.920 --> 00:48:21.739
And, uh, you know, Chico one, one, I got one
945
00:48:21.780 --> 00:48:22.880
last question for you.
946
00:48:23.440 --> 00:48:25.780
Cause I heard there's a, there's a, there's a new
947
00:48:25.820 --> 00:48:30.300
hot dog over at the arena this season. Uh, what
948
00:48:30.340 --> 00:48:33.090
do I, what is the best new food for us
949
00:48:33.190 --> 00:48:37.250
fans to possibly, uh, you know, munch on at the
950
00:48:37.289 --> 00:48:38.510
Prudential center this season?
951
00:48:38.530 --> 00:48:40.010
Do you have any recommendations?
952
00:48:42.030 --> 00:48:43.730
You know what I don't, here's what I would like
953
00:48:43.809 --> 00:48:45.599
you guys to go and check it out. Cause I,
954
00:48:46.099 --> 00:48:49.599
I can't get around drinking the games, but I would
955
00:48:49.619 --> 00:48:51.820
like to find out. I would like that hot dog.
956
00:48:51.860 --> 00:48:53.119
There's other good food.
957
00:48:54.940 --> 00:48:57.280
And you know what? And be demanding.
958
00:48:57.500 --> 00:49:00.449
Like somebody told me, I won't say where they went
959
00:49:00.489 --> 00:49:04.650
and bought something and it wasn't very good.
960
00:49:05.670 --> 00:49:07.710
And they went back and said something.
961
00:49:07.730 --> 00:49:11.289
I mean, they're asking top dollar and you can say,
962
00:49:11.349 --> 00:49:16.320
and most places are good, but you got to say, hey, like,
963
00:49:16.679 --> 00:49:17.679
we're paying top dollar.
964
00:49:17.780 --> 00:49:18.849
We need top service.
965
00:49:18.869 --> 00:49:19.750
Yeah.
966
00:49:20.909 --> 00:49:24.070
So I think, I think, I don't know about you guys,
967
00:49:24.210 --> 00:49:26.809
but doesn't food taste better when we're winning?
968
00:49:27.849 --> 00:49:29.070
Oh, yeah.
969
00:49:29.230 --> 00:49:29.469
Yes.
970
00:49:29.610 --> 00:49:36.699
Yeah. Yeah. Whatever they serve. As long as we're winning. Yeah.
971
00:49:36.739 --> 00:49:38.940
Well, you know, like some green eggs here.
972
00:49:41.909 --> 00:49:45.570
Well you know what the buzz in the building the
973
00:49:45.610 --> 00:49:49.250
other night was just fun like it's an escape we
974
00:49:49.289 --> 00:49:52.110
go there we're going to escape for like two three
975
00:49:52.150 --> 00:49:55.949
hours in entertainment hockey and I see those people you
976
00:49:56.150 --> 00:49:58.090
know where we are we see the people coming up
977
00:49:58.230 --> 00:50:01.510
after the game they're smiling just you know what I
978
00:50:01.550 --> 00:50:04.150
mean they're in a good mood I know it doesn't
979
00:50:04.190 --> 00:50:08.010
change their lives but we just want it's been a
980
00:50:08.070 --> 00:50:10.550
long time I think we've Well, we've been in the
981
00:50:10.610 --> 00:50:14.130
playoffs three out of the last 14 years or something.
982
00:50:14.750 --> 00:50:15.909
Yeah. Something like that.
983
00:50:15.949 --> 00:50:16.289
Yeah.
984
00:50:17.349 --> 00:50:17.650
Yeah.
985
00:50:17.969 --> 00:50:19.449
So I just want, yeah.
986
00:50:20.909 --> 00:50:23.289
Yeah. I, I mean, and here's what I always say.
987
00:50:23.329 --> 00:50:25.309
These guys, like, I don't know what you do, but
988
00:50:25.570 --> 00:50:27.909
they work. Then they got to, they've already paid for
989
00:50:27.949 --> 00:50:30.909
the season tickets. Then they got to pay $ 35 for parking.
990
00:50:31.199 --> 00:50:32.659
They got to come to the game and that's a
991
00:50:32.679 --> 00:50:34.340
bit of an, then they got to go home. Then
992
00:50:34.360 --> 00:50:35.900
they got to get up the next, next morning and
993
00:50:35.940 --> 00:50:41.280
go to work. I'm just saying like, Let's give them
994
00:50:42.460 --> 00:50:44.960
something that, you know, that, but remember you, I don't
995
00:50:44.980 --> 00:50:47.639
know how old you guys all are, but boy, you know,
996
00:50:47.679 --> 00:50:49.960
when we were winning cups in the nineties and even
997
00:50:49.980 --> 00:50:52.260
a little bit after all, it was just.
998
00:50:53.280 --> 00:50:55.579
That was in our prime. That was in our prime
999
00:50:55.619 --> 00:50:56.239
in our heyday.
1000
00:50:56.260 --> 00:50:58.280
I was when you guys were winning cups and like when,
1001
00:50:58.760 --> 00:51:00.969
when the team was always in the playoffs, that was,
1002
00:51:01.329 --> 00:51:03.769
and you take it for granted because you forgot.
1003
00:51:03.530 --> 00:51:05.989
How good it was. You know, every year we're in.
1004
00:51:05.949 --> 00:51:08.239
The playoffs and it was always expected. And you just
1005
00:51:08.280 --> 00:51:10.219
kind of go into the season. You're like, we'll make
1006
00:51:10.239 --> 00:51:10.639
the playoffs.
1007
00:51:10.699 --> 00:51:12.900
It's fine. It's just how far can we get?
1008
00:51:14.239 --> 00:51:15.420
The devils were always faithful.
1009
00:51:15.480 --> 00:51:18.659
Now let me ask you guys this. Let me ask
1010
00:51:18.699 --> 00:51:19.679
you guys this.
1011
00:51:20.039 --> 00:51:24.469
The iconic general manager has been Lou Lamarillo.
1012
00:51:25.349 --> 00:51:25.630
Oh yeah.
1013
00:51:26.070 --> 00:51:30.550
But if Sonny Maida puts together a team that really
1014
00:51:30.590 --> 00:51:33.320
does well and wins the cup, will he match him?
1015
00:51:33.840 --> 00:51:34.940
Will he go beyond him?
1016
00:51:36.659 --> 00:51:37.039
I don't know.
1017
00:51:37.739 --> 00:51:38.780
I'm just asking.
1018
00:51:39.320 --> 00:51:42.949
He was special in his own way, too. But he
1019
00:51:42.969 --> 00:51:45.269
has multiple cups, though. It can't just be one. He's
1020
00:51:45.349 --> 00:51:46.550
got to win at least three.
1021
00:51:47.889 --> 00:51:48.210
Yeah.
1022
00:51:48.610 --> 00:51:50.230
Lou's resume is.
1023
00:51:50.269 --> 00:51:54.789
He has slowly developed with draft picks and other guys.
1024
00:51:54.829 --> 00:51:58.690
What Sonny is doing here, to me, like I said,
1025
00:51:58.730 --> 00:52:03.320
he's not playing it safe. And... He's going after some things.
1026
00:52:03.400 --> 00:52:05.320
If he could put together a cup here in the
1027
00:52:05.380 --> 00:52:09.860
next two years, I'll just be so praising him.
1028
00:52:09.920 --> 00:52:11.480
I mean, I am anyway, but you know what I mean?
1029
00:52:12.380 --> 00:52:17.590
Because, you know, guys, what makes players special, and you
1030
00:52:17.619 --> 00:52:19.389
guys don't know, you're not sitting in the room, but
1031
00:52:19.449 --> 00:52:23.969
it's what happens down in that room. You know, you
1032
00:52:23.989 --> 00:52:27.469
just got to understand a guy can look good, project himself,
1033
00:52:27.909 --> 00:52:30.389
you know, on the ice or, you know, the media can,
1034
00:52:30.739 --> 00:52:35.030
project them. But in the dressing room, they know if
1035
00:52:35.679 --> 00:52:39.030
when crunch time comes, is that guy a game changer
1036
00:52:39.110 --> 00:52:42.170
or is he not? And some are, and some aren't.
1037
00:52:42.929 --> 00:52:43.909
And what I've seen, you.
1038
00:52:43.789 --> 00:52:47.170
Talked about Rodriguez. He'll, he'll put it on the line.
1039
00:52:47.670 --> 00:52:51.610
Meyer will put it on the line. Evangelista, you know?
1040
00:52:52.960 --> 00:52:57.360
So that's what I think's developing. What has to develop
1041
00:52:57.440 --> 00:53:01.340
is in the chemistry of the room, has got to
1042
00:53:01.380 --> 00:53:06.019
be that guy under pressure, I can count on him.
1043
00:53:07.079 --> 00:53:09.760
Either covering for me or making a big play if
1044
00:53:09.840 --> 00:53:12.480
I make a mistake or scoring a big goal.
1045
00:53:13.000 --> 00:53:13.579
And they know.
1046
00:53:14.300 --> 00:53:17.469
They absolutely know those guys. And I think from what
1047
00:53:17.510 --> 00:53:20.829
I'm seeing, because I'm always observing the character of the
1048
00:53:21.190 --> 00:53:24.349
players as well as their skill, because they're all skilled.
1049
00:53:25.409 --> 00:53:29.190
And I got to tell you, I really like our players.
1050
00:53:30.929 --> 00:53:33.449
I'm not just saying that because I'm doing radio, but
1051
00:53:34.010 --> 00:53:36.030
I really do.
1052
00:53:36.869 --> 00:53:37.929
They lay it out there.
1053
00:53:38.750 --> 00:53:42.139
And then you've got to have skill also, and I
1054
00:53:42.179 --> 00:53:45.360
think they've got both. So I think we're in good shape, boys.
1055
00:53:45.400 --> 00:53:46.880
You guys are going to have some fun things to
1056
00:53:46.920 --> 00:53:47.900
talk about this year.
1057
00:53:48.480 --> 00:53:49.039
Oh, yes, sir.
1058
00:53:49.400 --> 00:53:50.059
Absolutely.
1059
00:53:50.500 --> 00:53:53.619
Absolutely. Chico, before I let you go, I'm going to
1060
00:53:54.099 --> 00:53:57.039
sneak you in some rippers, some rippers in Section 8.
1061
00:53:57.039 --> 00:53:58.760
You know, I'm going to sneak you some rippers so
1062
00:53:58.780 --> 00:54:01.449
you can– Oh, okay. Yeah.
1063
00:54:03.380 --> 00:54:04.619
I appreciate that.
1064
00:54:05.480 --> 00:54:05.900
Yeah.
1065
00:54:07.119 --> 00:54:08.099
No, you guys are great.
1066
00:54:08.119 --> 00:54:10.800
And I know I talk a lot, but, you know,
1067
00:54:10.880 --> 00:54:12.059
I've been around the league.
1068
00:54:12.400 --> 00:54:12.880
We love this.
1069
00:54:12.920 --> 00:54:13.400
Thank you.
1070
00:54:13.659 --> 00:54:14.579
I've been around the.
1071
00:54:14.449 --> 00:54:15.070
League 50 years.
1072
00:54:15.090 --> 00:54:21.849
And don't ask me anything about math or science. I
1073
00:54:21.869 --> 00:54:22.670
have no clue.
1074
00:54:23.489 --> 00:54:26.139
But with hockey, I was never drafted.
1075
00:54:26.980 --> 00:54:29.539
And the one things I always looked at, if I
1076
00:54:29.579 --> 00:54:33.920
don't build character and can't work smart, you know, somebody
1077
00:54:33.960 --> 00:54:36.940
says I'm working hard. You say, so what? You know,
1078
00:54:37.000 --> 00:54:41.239
everybody works hard. But are you working hard smart? Because
1079
00:54:41.260 --> 00:54:45.530
if you're working hard stupid, and here's just a little,
1080
00:54:45.889 --> 00:54:49.449
I like Dawson Mercer. But I would watch Dawson, and
1081
00:54:49.469 --> 00:54:52.429
I'm thinking, Dawson, go out there and don't.
1082
00:54:52.289 --> 00:54:56.550
Do like seven or eight one-timers. Do 20. Or 30.
1083
00:54:56.550 --> 00:55:00.519
So it's so automatic. I watch Jack and Jesper around
1084
00:55:00.559 --> 00:55:03.659
the scoring areas, what they're doing, stick handling, shooting the puck.
1085
00:55:04.300 --> 00:55:08.139
I mean, you've got to do things that are going
1086
00:55:08.159 --> 00:55:11.219
to take you to the next level. And that's what
1087
00:55:11.260 --> 00:55:15.539
I mean about some of the guys we have. They
1088
00:55:15.659 --> 00:55:18.800
seem to know and want to get to the next level.
1089
00:55:20.159 --> 00:55:23.760
And that's why I think, I don't know.
1090
00:55:23.780 --> 00:55:25.320
I don't want to go out.
1091
00:55:25.869 --> 00:55:28.119
Too far out on the limb, but I just think
1092
00:55:28.179 --> 00:55:32.579
this team has everything it needs and maybe one little addition,
1093
00:55:32.599 --> 00:55:34.559
you know, a trading deadline.
1094
00:55:35.599 --> 00:55:35.719
Mm-hmm.
1095
00:55:36.840 --> 00:55:37.380
Well said.
1096
00:55:37.519 --> 00:55:37.940
Well said.
1097
00:55:37.980 --> 00:55:42.309
Well, thank you, Chico, for your honesty and giving us
1098
00:55:42.369 --> 00:55:44.789
your time. As always, you're always a good friend of
1099
00:55:44.809 --> 00:55:47.869
the podcast. And I'll also add in some of those
1100
00:55:47.949 --> 00:55:49.289
big chicken fingers as well.
1101
00:55:50.150 --> 00:55:52.050
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
1102
00:55:53.530 --> 00:55:55.489
Well, I just got to say this, and thanks to
1103
00:55:55.610 --> 00:55:56.269
all the listeners.
1104
00:55:56.349 --> 00:55:59.030
I mean, I was there when Sammy started this, just
1105
00:55:59.050 --> 00:56:02.670
like I was the first devil to sign. And when
1106
00:56:02.710 --> 00:56:06.199
I think of where you guys have come, with all
1107
00:56:06.219 --> 00:56:08.719
the competition, you guys have done great.
1108
00:56:08.739 --> 00:56:09.900
Thank you.
1109
00:56:10.039 --> 00:56:16.199
And people should tell their friends because, you know, it's
1110
00:56:16.239 --> 00:56:18.429
good stuff. So anyway, thanks, guys.
1111
00:56:19.210 --> 00:56:19.909
Thanks, Chico.
1112
00:56:20.130 --> 00:56:21.929
And I'll see you again down the road, okay?
1113
00:56:22.400 --> 00:56:23.280
Absolutely.
1114
00:56:23.320 --> 00:56:25.250
Yes. And have a safe trip.
1115
00:56:25.429 --> 00:56:25.630
Yep.
1116
00:56:26.469 --> 00:56:27.010
That is.
1117
00:56:27.030 --> 00:56:27.630
Thanks boy.
1118
00:56:28.070 --> 00:56:33.849
That's Chico rush. New Jersey devils. Good friend of the podcast.
1119
00:56:33.889 --> 00:56:37.659
Great friend of the podcast, actually giving us his insight,
1120
00:56:38.039 --> 00:56:42.340
his knowledge, his experience, just telling you how it is about,
1121
00:56:43.139 --> 00:56:45.500
you know, what has just happened with Connor Hellebuck. And
1122
00:56:45.519 --> 00:56:48.659
then we talk a little bit of Luke evangelista guys
1123
00:56:48.679 --> 00:56:50.469
that we're going to get to our final thoughts, uh,
1124
00:56:51.639 --> 00:56:54.420
Just a wonderful, wonderful interview, guys. I was in the
1125
00:56:54.480 --> 00:56:58.019
background producing, reading the comments and all that. This was
1126
00:56:58.119 --> 00:57:02.420
like an amazing podcast tonight, getting Chico on.
1127
00:57:04.400 --> 00:57:07.960
Yeah, I mean, I always love Chico's insight because he's
1128
00:57:08.019 --> 00:57:11.639
not afraid to tell it like it is. And I really,
1129
00:57:12.239 --> 00:57:16.460
really appreciate that because he can give you from, you know,
1130
00:57:16.539 --> 00:57:19.400
kind of a management perspective. And obviously he can give
1131
00:57:19.420 --> 00:57:22.880
you that player perspective as well. But he's not afraid.
1132
00:57:22.920 --> 00:57:26.539
He doesn't hold back. And it's always truth and honesty
1133
00:57:27.099 --> 00:57:27.980
with Chico.
1134
00:57:28.300 --> 00:57:31.480
And, yeah, I love having him on the show. And
1135
00:57:31.519 --> 00:57:32.500
he's always welcome.
1136
00:57:32.599 --> 00:57:35.760
Chico, if you're still listening out there, you know you're
1137
00:57:35.780 --> 00:57:40.050
always welcome on here. And love his thought process, though,
1138
00:57:40.349 --> 00:57:43.010
on where the team is, how it's structured right now,
1139
00:57:43.469 --> 00:57:47.550
and the job that Sonny has done already in his
1140
00:57:47.969 --> 00:57:48.949
short tenure so far.
1141
00:57:49.889 --> 00:57:50.309
Go ahead.
1142
00:57:51.940 --> 00:57:53.340
No, no, I was just going to say, like, it's
1143
00:57:53.380 --> 00:57:57.800
always such an absolute honor and privilege and just one
1144
00:57:57.820 --> 00:57:59.619
of my favorite human beings to talk to ever.
1145
00:57:59.639 --> 00:58:00.780
Absolutely.
1146
00:58:01.000 --> 00:58:03.139
And just for all the things that Scotty said, but also,
1147
00:58:03.159 --> 00:58:06.550
you know, his insight on the game is really interesting
1148
00:58:06.590 --> 00:58:10.409
because it's not just so... It's not one-sided. Like, he
1149
00:58:10.550 --> 00:58:13.630
really evaluates his team through and through. It's not just like, oh,
1150
00:58:13.789 --> 00:58:15.349
I'll tell you about the goalies because I used to
1151
00:58:15.369 --> 00:58:15.869
play goal.
1152
00:58:15.889 --> 00:58:16.030
He....
1153
00:58:17.659 --> 00:58:20.869
Takes a large picture of this team and can tell
1154
00:58:20.909 --> 00:58:23.989
you every little piece about it and yes he's a
1155
00:58:24.070 --> 00:58:26.050
part of a broadcast team so of course you have
1156
00:58:26.070 --> 00:58:27.250
to do that you have to be able to do
1157
00:58:27.289 --> 00:58:30.340
that but he doesn't he does it in a way
1158
00:58:31.559 --> 00:58:32.940
that someone you know like.
1159
00:58:32.860 --> 00:58:35.179
Me can understand and I love that because.
1160
00:58:34.960 --> 00:58:36.920
There's a lot of times you listen to people talk
1161
00:58:36.940 --> 00:58:38.639
about the team and they're like they get into the
1162
00:58:38.699 --> 00:58:42.400
analytics you barely understand English in general so I'm surprised
1163
00:58:42.460 --> 00:58:44.530
I'm wearing a shirt right now I can't believe I
1164
00:58:44.710 --> 00:58:48.949
am but um But in reality, it's one of my
1165
00:58:48.989 --> 00:58:52.809
favorite things, and I love talking to him.
1166
00:58:53.150 --> 00:58:54.679
We could sit there and talk for the next 10
1167
00:58:54.679 --> 00:58:56.280
hours straight.
1168
00:58:56.420 --> 00:59:00.059
I absolutely enjoy every part of that. And it makes
1169
00:59:00.099 --> 00:59:02.920
me happy, too, because our listeners get a chance to
1170
00:59:03.219 --> 00:59:04.690
hear what he has to say about the team, and
1171
00:59:04.730 --> 00:59:06.110
that's stuff that you're not going to be able to
1172
00:59:06.150 --> 00:59:10.030
hear you know on a typical broadcast so you get
1173
00:59:10.289 --> 00:59:12.909
like a kind of different perspective so that's kind of nice.
1174
00:59:13.280 --> 00:59:16.940
Yeah and what makes I mean what makes Chico perfect
1175
00:59:17.059 --> 00:59:20.679
and Robert Isaacson said it best in the YouTube live
1176
00:59:21.480 --> 00:59:25.460
was this a perfect interview getting Chico on from his
1177
00:59:25.539 --> 00:59:29.380
phone while chilling on his couch Like, that camera angle
1178
00:59:29.500 --> 00:59:32.840
says it all. It's so perfect because it's so Chico,
1179
00:59:33.300 --> 00:59:37.289
and he's so genuine, and he's such a nice, nice
1180
00:59:37.389 --> 00:59:41.929
person and just a great ambassador for the New Jersey Devils.
1181
00:59:42.409 --> 00:59:46.250
I mean, I'm going to say this more and more
1182
00:59:46.289 --> 00:59:48.530
this year. He needs to be in the ring of honor,
1183
00:59:49.150 --> 00:59:49.889
Chico Rush.
1184
00:59:49.929 --> 00:59:50.510
Yes.
1185
00:59:50.969 --> 00:59:54.090
I mean, the body of work from start to finish is,
1186
00:59:54.920 --> 00:59:58.460
And I've talked to a couple original Devils, and Chico,
1187
00:59:58.480 --> 01:00:01.920
when they came to New Jersey, like, these NHL players
1188
01:00:01.940 --> 01:00:04.699
didn't know anything about it. You know, going to New Jersey,
1189
01:00:04.780 --> 01:00:07.429
and Chico was like the ambassador because he was the
1190
01:00:07.510 --> 01:00:11.230
first to be here and trying to get free agents
1191
01:00:11.289 --> 01:00:14.989
to actually sign in New Jersey when there's the Rangers
1192
01:00:15.070 --> 01:00:19.010
and Islanders and Flyers and the Hartford Whalers, like, right next.
1193
01:00:19.110 --> 01:00:19.469
It just.
1194
01:00:20.530 --> 01:00:24.239
Yeah. And he's a huge part of the organization, so.
1195
01:00:25.670 --> 01:00:31.199
We're very privileged to have Chico on this podcast, but
1196
01:00:31.300 --> 01:00:34.539
also you want to hit this. This is my final
1197
01:00:34.579 --> 01:00:40.719
thought with Chico Resch is that he has taught me
1198
01:00:40.820 --> 01:00:44.480
so much that it's actually he gives insight how to
1199
01:00:44.519 --> 01:00:48.219
make the podcast better. You don't see this behind the scenes.
1200
01:00:48.380 --> 01:00:51.530
You and I, we've talked amongst ourselves, but the audience
1201
01:00:51.570 --> 01:00:55.750
listening in, Chico puts so much time into this podcast
1202
01:00:55.889 --> 01:01:00.170
to make it better that he always tells me, Sammy,
1203
01:01:01.550 --> 01:01:06.719
when you make a statement, always follow up the reasons
1204
01:01:06.820 --> 01:01:11.400
why and have at least three. Because you just don't say, oh,
1205
01:01:11.440 --> 01:01:13.300
the Devils are going to win the Stanley Cup. You're
1206
01:01:13.320 --> 01:01:15.000
going to say the Devils are winning the Stanley Cup
1207
01:01:15.280 --> 01:01:19.159
because here are the reasons why. So I'm always constantly reminded,
1208
01:01:19.219 --> 01:01:22.269
I hear Chico's voice sometimes, like I'll make an outlandish statement.
1209
01:01:22.860 --> 01:01:25.000
But I also have to remind myself, I can't be
1210
01:01:25.039 --> 01:01:27.280
trolling all the time. I actually have to have some
1211
01:01:27.320 --> 01:01:30.829
substance behind it, like why Quinn Hughes is going to
1212
01:01:30.849 --> 01:01:34.110
be a New Jersey devil, and Connor Hellebuck being a
1213
01:01:34.150 --> 01:01:39.269
New Jersey devil. And I think the Rutz Hut Rippers
1214
01:01:39.429 --> 01:01:41.900
are the secret sauce to success.
1215
01:01:41.590 --> 01:01:42.090
For the New Jersey.
1216
01:01:42.119 --> 01:01:42.920
Rutz Hut, that's what it was.
1217
01:01:42.980 --> 01:01:43.219
Yeah.
1218
01:01:43.659 --> 01:01:46.460
So I'm going to get.
1219
01:01:45.639 --> 01:01:50.119
Chico five Rutz Hut hot dogs, different kinds, and just
1220
01:01:50.139 --> 01:01:52.380
sneak it in. you know, to Section 8, you know.
1221
01:01:52.400 --> 01:01:55.500
Where he's at. Yeah.
1222
01:01:55.519 --> 01:01:55.820
Very nice.
1223
01:01:55.840 --> 01:02:00.380
You know, if we're getting into the final thought territory,
1224
01:02:00.400 --> 01:02:00.920
I want to say.
1225
01:02:00.940 --> 01:02:01.969
Yeah, it's final thoughted.
1226
01:02:02.510 --> 01:02:07.110
Yeah, yeah, yeah. My final thought for tonight, obviously, like,
1227
01:02:07.130 --> 01:02:09.690
this is... It just makes you happy. I couldn't stop smiling. Like,
1228
01:02:09.710 --> 01:02:11.469
the whole time we were sitting there talking to Chico, it's, like,
1229
01:02:11.489 --> 01:02:14.130
the best. But to kind of step away from that
1230
01:02:14.190 --> 01:02:18.880
conversation really quick, the team is 5-1 in their last six, right?
1231
01:02:20.059 --> 01:02:25.800
They've won some games where you're like, okay, they look convincing.
1232
01:02:25.840 --> 01:02:28.139
Like Chico was talking about, the defensive part of this
1233
01:02:28.199 --> 01:02:31.119
game and this team is really starting to come around.
1234
01:02:31.719 --> 01:02:34.559
Luke Hughes' game is evolving, like right in front of
1235
01:02:34.639 --> 01:02:37.050
your eyes. There's a lot of things that are happening
1236
01:02:37.110 --> 01:02:40.510
on this team that, yes, getting Connor Hellbuck is an
1237
01:02:40.570 --> 01:02:45.409
incredible move, and it really solidifies the back end, but
1238
01:02:46.269 --> 01:02:49.800
this team as a whole... is really starting to put
1239
01:02:49.840 --> 01:02:52.840
things together and it's, it's, it's refreshing to see.
1240
01:02:53.219 --> 01:02:56.239
So hopefully they keep going. Hopefully they keep rolling. And that's,
1241
01:02:56.300 --> 01:02:59.440
that's the, you know, that's the, that's the big thing there.
1242
01:03:00.960 --> 01:03:01.280
Yeah.
1243
01:03:01.659 --> 01:03:04.860
And my final thought, and by the way, Sam Maria
1244
01:03:04.880 --> 01:03:06.960
says to keep on, keep on trolling.
1245
01:03:06.980 --> 01:03:09.300
So keep on keeping on there troking.
1246
01:03:10.500 --> 01:03:14.500
But yeah, obviously big thanks to Chico Rescher coming on
1247
01:03:14.559 --> 01:03:17.429
here and sharing all that insight. Everything that we had
1248
01:03:17.469 --> 01:03:20.880
just mentioned about him, just replay that in your mind
1249
01:03:21.940 --> 01:03:24.820
because it is the truth.
1250
01:03:25.059 --> 01:03:25.519
It really is.
1251
01:03:25.619 --> 01:03:28.239
And Chico speaks the truth. And that's why we love him.
1252
01:03:28.320 --> 01:03:30.019
And he has been such a great friend to us
1253
01:03:30.940 --> 01:03:33.679
coming on many, many times. But one thing that dawned
1254
01:03:33.719 --> 01:03:37.309
on me, though, while we were chatting with Chico, talking
1255
01:03:37.349 --> 01:03:43.090
about Sonny and our GM situations, how refreshing.
1256
01:03:42.550 --> 01:03:46.530
Is it to actually hear from the GM.
1257
01:03:46.550 --> 01:03:49.940
Uh, you know, I, I think we've heard from Sonny
1258
01:03:50.179 --> 01:03:52.980
already more than we've heard from Fitzy, like in his,
1259
01:03:53.000 --> 01:03:57.900
in his entire tenure. Um, so love the fact that
1260
01:03:57.980 --> 01:04:00.960
Sonny is not afraid to get out there and communicate
1261
01:04:01.550 --> 01:04:04.090
with the devil's community like this, because you know what?
1262
01:04:04.150 --> 01:04:06.630
He was a fan growing up too. And this is
1263
01:04:06.670 --> 01:04:09.190
stuff that he probably wanted to hear. Hey, we all
1264
01:04:09.250 --> 01:04:11.150
used to get frustrated with Lou every now and then
1265
01:04:11.170 --> 01:04:13.269
with status quo status quo, you know, we would think
1266
01:04:13.309 --> 01:04:16.440
it was funny after a while, you know, but, I
1267
01:04:16.579 --> 01:04:20.559
love the fact that Sonny is engaging with his fan.
1268
01:04:20.340 --> 01:04:21.059
Base this way.
1269
01:04:21.079 --> 01:04:24.820
He's not hiding and he's going out there and he is,
1270
01:04:25.179 --> 01:04:27.500
you know, at the press conferences and stuff like that.
1271
01:04:27.559 --> 01:04:31.019
So final thought for me is big horns up to
1272
01:04:31.039 --> 01:04:32.659
Sonny for so far, everything he's done.
1273
01:04:32.980 --> 01:04:33.519
Absolutely.
1274
01:04:33.599 --> 01:04:37.440
And I'll echo that statement before we go, because Chico
1275
01:04:37.559 --> 01:04:40.679
asked about, you know, Lou Lamorello and Sonny made it.
1276
01:04:41.260 --> 01:04:44.130
Sonny immediately has a connection with the fans. And this
1277
01:04:44.150 --> 01:04:47.269
is my final, final thought. Because he was a Devils
1278
01:04:47.309 --> 01:04:51.179
fan before he got into this. And this is a
1279
01:04:51.199 --> 01:04:54.300
Devils fan dream to be sitting in that seat. And
1280
01:04:54.340 --> 01:04:57.949
he knows how important it is to New Jersey, to
1281
01:04:57.969 --> 01:05:01.130
the Devils fans, because it takes somebody to be from
1282
01:05:01.170 --> 01:05:04.110
Jersey to know Jersey. And I'll leave it at that
1283
01:05:04.269 --> 01:05:06.429
because anybody.
1284
01:05:06.929 --> 01:05:08.949
You trying to beer-bearing me over here? You're taking my
1285
01:05:08.989 --> 01:05:10.250
final thought and just twisting it.
1286
01:05:10.230 --> 01:05:11.210
Into another final thought?
1287
01:05:11.269 --> 01:05:13.590
Is that what's going on over here? I was actually
1288
01:05:13.610 --> 01:05:15.730
getting to my punchline that was different.
1289
01:05:15.869 --> 01:05:16.449
Oh, okay, okay.
1290
01:05:16.469 --> 01:05:17.210
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
1291
01:05:17.349 --> 01:05:17.679
Love it.
1292
01:05:17.789 --> 01:05:18.150
Continue.
1293
01:05:18.210 --> 01:05:21.659
If anybody tells you, especially in the online trolling world,
1294
01:05:21.860 --> 01:05:25.059
that Devils fans don't know anything about hockey, you just
1295
01:05:25.119 --> 01:05:28.539
tell them, Sonny Mata is a Devils fan, and he's
1296
01:05:28.599 --> 01:05:31.340
kicking your team's ass right now. So that's all you
1297
01:05:31.380 --> 01:05:34.119
have to say, because a Devils fan is running this franchise,
1298
01:05:34.590 --> 01:05:38.260
and I'm loving... Every minute of it. Every minute of it.
1299
01:05:38.940 --> 01:05:41.099
And we're going to put up this podcast on all
1300
01:05:41.119 --> 01:05:46.619
of our podcast pages, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon
1301
01:05:46.659 --> 01:05:52.619
Music Prime, Audible, and on the iHeart app. Great podcast, guys.
1302
01:05:54.440 --> 01:05:58.750
And thank you to everyone on YouTube. Yeah, YouTube.
1303
01:05:58.789 --> 01:06:03.550
Yeah, all the questions, everything. Until next time, let's go Devils.
1
00:00:36.119 --> 00:00:40.679
Happy Devil's Sunday. This is the Let's Go Devils podcast,
2
00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:45.719
Sunday edition, season 10, episode 5. I am your host,
3
00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:48.380
Sam Wu, coming to you live, live from the Primetime
4
00:00:48.409 --> 00:00:53.950
Radio Studios inside the bunker. Undisclosed location in beautiful New Jersey.
5
00:00:54.530 --> 00:00:59.810
Cross-continent to the Michael J. Fox Studios in beautiful Beverly Hills, California.
6
00:01:00.429 --> 00:01:05.939
It's Scotty of Cirrus XM Liquid Metal. And Beer Baron
7
00:01:06.659 --> 00:01:11.219
is actually in the Andy Green room right now. So
8
00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:12.310
he'll come in hot.
9
00:01:12.590 --> 00:01:13.230
He's somewhere.
10
00:01:13.510 --> 00:01:15.170
He's there. He's there.
11
00:01:15.250 --> 00:01:15.629
He's there.
12
00:01:16.129 --> 00:01:18.709
So let's get Beer Baron. Hopefully, we didn't do a
13
00:01:18.750 --> 00:01:23.230
tech check. He's putting on his hat right now. And
14
00:01:23.709 --> 00:01:25.549
he's putting on his headset.
15
00:01:25.670 --> 00:01:27.810
Thank God he's got his hat on.
16
00:01:27.829 --> 00:01:29.390
Hey, Beer Baron.
17
00:01:29.409 --> 00:01:29.870
Jeez.
18
00:01:30.969 --> 00:01:31.370
Yeah.
19
00:01:31.609 --> 00:01:33.430
Lord knows if he didn't have his hat on.
20
00:01:34.299 --> 00:01:37.739
You'd see my thinning hair. That's all you'd see.
21
00:01:37.799 --> 00:01:40.840
I'd tell you to get the hell out of here.
22
00:01:41.540 --> 00:01:42.260
Minoxidil.
23
00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:43.060
Yeah.
24
00:01:43.299 --> 00:01:48.840
Well, it's been an exciting 72 hours. Coming up shortly,
25
00:01:49.500 --> 00:01:57.180
Chico Rush from the New Jersey Devils color commentator. I
26
00:01:57.219 --> 00:01:59.280
don't know if it's on the radio, but streaming live
27
00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:02.180
on Sirius XM. I think that's where they're at, too.
28
00:02:03.090 --> 00:02:05.989
New Jersey devils.com. He'll be on soon.
29
00:02:08.310 --> 00:02:08.569
Yeah.
30
00:02:09.069 --> 00:02:12.689
It's been great. Correct. Your screen is correct.
31
00:02:12.750 --> 00:02:15.979
We will be having Chico Rush on tonight, which is
32
00:02:16.620 --> 00:02:23.780
extremely exciting because, you know, I heard there's a new
33
00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:25.680
goaltender in town and.
34
00:02:25.580 --> 00:02:27.400
Being that he is a goaltender.
35
00:02:28.039 --> 00:02:31.539
And someone who has moved around from a couple places.
36
00:02:31.580 --> 00:02:33.560
He's played on a couple different teams.
37
00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:37.639
He might have some insight to give us on this
38
00:02:37.699 --> 00:02:42.280
new goaltending situation going on in New Jersey. So for
39
00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:45.919
everyone who's chirping away on YouTube already, get some fan
40
00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:46.699
questions in.
41
00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:50.939
Corbin, Max, Metalander, Wimpy, what's going on?
42
00:02:51.430 --> 00:02:53.830
As you guys roll in, you got some questions for Chico?
43
00:02:54.550 --> 00:02:57.310
Load them up in the YouTube chat.
44
00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:00.680
And that goes for everyone on Instagram and X and
45
00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:01.599
Facebook as well.
46
00:03:03.060 --> 00:03:05.379
If you go over to YouTube, it's a lot easier. But,
47
00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:09.219
you know, hey, send them wherever. That's why we have
48
00:03:09.259 --> 00:03:12.770
the producer extraordinaire, Sam Wu.
49
00:03:13.289 --> 00:03:15.669
And as you notice, they are both rocking their New
50
00:03:15.710 --> 00:03:17.389
York football Giants hats there.
51
00:03:17.930 --> 00:03:18.509
We have the.
52
00:03:20.210 --> 00:03:21.889
And there he goes, of course. Just when I'm going
53
00:03:21.909 --> 00:03:23.289
to reference his new era hat.
54
00:03:23.490 --> 00:03:24.030
Sorry, hit the button.
55
00:03:24.050 --> 00:03:25.129
Which is actually a throwback.
56
00:03:25.229 --> 00:03:26.050
I actually hit the button.
57
00:03:26.069 --> 00:03:27.509
Yeah, he goes and he runs away.
58
00:03:27.550 --> 00:03:30.289
And then there's, I got to be honest with you.
59
00:03:31.310 --> 00:03:33.840
I like the, you know, the NY was cool for
60
00:03:33.879 --> 00:03:36.340
a while. But the Giants, like the.
61
00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:38.639
80s Giants jerseys and that logo.
62
00:03:38.979 --> 00:03:39.259
Yeah.
63
00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:40.740
Oh, man.
64
00:03:40.819 --> 00:03:41.180
Those.
65
00:03:41.479 --> 00:03:43.939
Those dark navy blue helmets.
66
00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:46.259
Oh, they look so good.
67
00:03:46.669 --> 00:03:48.030
They look so good.
68
00:03:48.050 --> 00:03:51.590
The NY I feel like is the Eli era of
69
00:03:51.629 --> 00:03:55.060
the Giants. And now I love to go back to
70
00:03:55.080 --> 00:03:58.219
that 80s, you know, LT, Carl Banks, Phil Simms era.
71
00:03:58.460 --> 00:03:59.159
And those uniforms.
72
00:03:59.180 --> 00:04:04.169
And man, when I see those, all those uniforms are so, so, oh,
73
00:04:04.189 --> 00:04:05.009
they're so slick.
74
00:04:05.349 --> 00:04:06.270
They're so slick.
75
00:04:07.889 --> 00:04:09.949
Real quick, I want to say, because I haven't had
76
00:04:09.990 --> 00:04:12.349
a chance to say it on air or in person
77
00:04:12.430 --> 00:04:17.230
or even through text, but congratulations, Max, on your recent wedding.
78
00:04:17.430 --> 00:04:20.470
That's very fun. Very cool. Welcome to the club. It's
79
00:04:20.490 --> 00:04:21.370
called Nupshules.
80
00:04:21.970 --> 00:04:22.410
Get it right.
81
00:04:22.449 --> 00:04:22.769
Nupsh.
82
00:04:23.209 --> 00:04:27.629
Getting the Nupsh. Getting that done. Good for you. How
83
00:04:27.649 --> 00:04:28.209
you doing?
84
00:04:29.250 --> 00:04:33.490
Boys, listen. You nailed it. Last 72 hours. Pretty amazing
85
00:04:33.529 --> 00:04:38.490
time to be a Devils fan. I I have to
86
00:04:38.529 --> 00:04:42.329
give Scotty credit because he's been calling for Connor Hellebuck
87
00:04:42.370 --> 00:04:46.740
for the last, what, three years, four years, five years, whatever. Scotty,
88
00:04:46.779 --> 00:04:48.540
every time there was a talk about some kind of.
89
00:04:48.579 --> 00:04:52.519
No, it's actually Sam Wu. Well, I don't know. Scotty
90
00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:53.879
was the one that brought it up a bunch, too.
91
00:04:53.899 --> 00:04:55.319
Well, I said it a while ago. I did say
92
00:04:55.339 --> 00:04:55.730
it a while ago.
93
00:04:55.740 --> 00:04:56.339
A while ago.
94
00:04:56.699 --> 00:04:59.259
I'll give myself credit for it.
95
00:04:59.459 --> 00:05:02.660
Pre-Markstrom. Pre-Markstrom. Yes, I did see your tweet this morning.
96
00:05:02.699 --> 00:05:02.839
Yes.
97
00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:03.740
Three years ago.
98
00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:05.120
Anyway. Yes.
99
00:05:05.180 --> 00:05:07.870
Scotty was like, you know what? We should get, we
100
00:05:07.889 --> 00:05:09.790
should get a hell buck or go for it. Go
101
00:05:09.829 --> 00:05:12.709
out there and try to trade for him. I didn't
102
00:05:12.850 --> 00:05:14.649
ever think it was going to happen. And to be
103
00:05:14.689 --> 00:05:17.439
honest with you, I was watching this kind of closely.
104
00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:20.500
And from all reports that I was seeing that Buffalo
105
00:05:20.540 --> 00:05:24.980
was in the lead of, of getting one Connor hell buck.
106
00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:27.879
And I thought it was an all, but done deal.
107
00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:29.740
There's a lot of reports out there and I'm not
108
00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:31.160
going to go out there and say this person or
109
00:05:31.180 --> 00:05:33.259
that person. There was a lot of reports out there
110
00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:35.639
that were saying that it was in a 100% done deal.
111
00:05:36.970 --> 00:05:40.060
that there is a three-team trade involved, including the New
112
00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:44.240
York Rangers. And it just– I don't know if that
113
00:05:44.259 --> 00:05:46.379
was true. I don't know if that wasn't just panning out.
114
00:05:46.860 --> 00:05:53.459
But I do know that our boy Sonny– wow.
115
00:05:53.860 --> 00:05:56.120
That was a– I feel like this is like the
116
00:05:56.170 --> 00:05:59.149
Chris Farley show with when Paul McCartney's on. He's like,
117
00:05:59.170 --> 00:06:01.670
you play the album and say Paul is dead, Paul
118
00:06:01.750 --> 00:06:02.029
is dead.
119
00:06:02.069 --> 00:06:02.889
That was a hoax.
120
00:06:03.509 --> 00:06:06.019
That was– That was a hoax, right? Well, you know,
121
00:06:06.060 --> 00:06:11.720
I wasn't really dead, Chris. That's awesome.
122
00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:14.680
I wasn't really traded to the Buffalo Sabres, you know?
123
00:06:15.240 --> 00:06:15.680
Yeah, yeah.
124
00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:17.420
It was just Ringo.
125
00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:22.120
Yeah, but listen, man.
126
00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:23.759
Here's the part that I know a lot of people
127
00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:26.339
have also been talking about that I think is really interesting.
128
00:06:27.939 --> 00:06:31.399
Going out and getting an extra goalie and then not
129
00:06:32.629 --> 00:06:34.689
playing him, just keeping him on the bench, keeping him
130
00:06:34.750 --> 00:06:37.620
up in the suites and letting him watch. And then
131
00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:39.860
people were questioning like, well, why did you even bring
132
00:06:39.899 --> 00:06:41.519
him in here if you're only going to play Allen
133
00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:47.879
and Dawes? Like you wasted this opportunity. Like, yes, this
134
00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:50.779
guy's got some clout to him in the AHL, but like,
135
00:06:50.839 --> 00:06:52.899
is he just going to be, are you going to
136
00:06:52.939 --> 00:06:54.519
try to send him down? Does he have to like,
137
00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:58.519
I think all of this was a part of the move, right?
138
00:06:59.480 --> 00:07:03.730
Like that, that calculation is, when he first got Remy, that's,
139
00:07:03.819 --> 00:07:04.579
that's a part of this.
140
00:07:05.139 --> 00:07:07.569
That's a part of this. What's happening now.
141
00:07:07.589 --> 00:07:11.269
Whether, whether it is or it isn't, we're just going
142
00:07:11.290 --> 00:07:12.970
to say, yeah, yeah.
143
00:07:13.050 --> 00:07:13.230
Yeah.
144
00:07:13.250 --> 00:07:16.350
At the same time, at the same time, Dawes gave
145
00:07:16.410 --> 00:07:19.029
up 11 goals and what two, two games in the
146
00:07:19.050 --> 00:07:21.569
midst of it. So that was part of the distraction.
147
00:07:22.410 --> 00:07:22.750
Yeah. Yeah.
148
00:07:22.769 --> 00:07:22.990
Yeah.
149
00:07:23.490 --> 00:07:24.810
It's all an illusion.
150
00:07:24.870 --> 00:07:27.949
It's all an illusion that people talk about his poker playing,
151
00:07:27.990 --> 00:07:32.230
but maybe he's a magician. Um, Yeah, it was incredible
152
00:07:32.449 --> 00:07:35.569
how everything kind of fell into place. And then when
153
00:07:35.610 --> 00:07:39.050
it went down, the obvious question was, okay, well, who's
154
00:07:39.089 --> 00:07:41.230
going back in return? You did not want to see
155
00:07:41.250 --> 00:07:45.089
Gritsuk go. You did not want to see Silyev go.
156
00:07:45.129 --> 00:07:46.980
You did not want to see a first-round pick go.
157
00:07:47.500 --> 00:07:50.339
But you knew it was going to be significant. And listen, man,
158
00:07:50.379 --> 00:07:53.920
losing Dawson Mercer, it's a bummer. We all really love
159
00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:57.920
Dawson Mercer. I can't think of one Devils fan out
160
00:07:57.959 --> 00:07:59.339
there that thinks otherwise.
161
00:07:59.459 --> 00:08:00.279
But look ahead.
162
00:08:01.689 --> 00:08:04.410
But if you're going to get traded to a new team,
163
00:08:05.189 --> 00:08:08.509
how frigging sweet is it that your first game is
164
00:08:08.550 --> 00:08:12.920
the Heritage Classic outdoor on your new team? I mean,
165
00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:15.680
DM really pulled off a steal right there, you know,
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going back to Winnipeg. And oh, oh, look at my
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first game here, Heritage Classic. So good for Dawson Mercy.
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Yeah.
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Continue. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.
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No, no, no, no.
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I'm just saying, like, He was one of those guys
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that everybody rooted for. Dawson played, what was it, 465,
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give or take, games in a row in a double sweater.
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Hey, Adrian's going to miss the Dawson voice.
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Maybe we'll have.
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A pair for getting a Heritage Classic.
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I don't know if anybody will miss that voice, but
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we'll miss him.
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We'll miss him. The guy was a grinder. Went out
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there every shift.
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He didn't have the finish, and he wasn't scoring as
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much as he would like, but at the same time,
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he was playing his tail off out there. And I mean,
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it was something you could always respect. You could always
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count on Dawson Mercer being in the lineup. He was
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a reliable, he was reliable in a lot of areas
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where he needed him to be reliable. You know, like
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on the PK, he was a great defensive forward. But hey, listen, man,
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you're getting Connor Hellebuck out of it. And if you're
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not excited about that, I can understand the trepidation because
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there are Devils fans that feel that the rock was
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built on an old ancient Indian burial ground and that
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all goalies have been cursed ever since they put up
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that Marty statue up front. But I think this is
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going to change those superstitions.
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Maybe.
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Maybe.
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And yeah, I mean, put your question. I see some
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questions rolling in over here. I see some new peeps
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in the chat here.
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Paulie's.
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Oh, Paulie over here.
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You know what?
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Paulie.
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I think he's uh i think he's an interior decorator.
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He slaughtered all these.
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Czechoslovakians over here what's going on paulie.
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Um randall flagg what's up suicide squad and yes.
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The adrian torres over here says they would miss the
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dawson mercer voice okay so i just want to point
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that out all right some people.
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Actually liked it Hey, guys.
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And Pete.
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Pete, I forgot that name. Nemitz. Wow. I almost forgot
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about that name.
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Hey, guys.
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Our guest, our special guest is in the Andy Green
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room right now. Good friend of the podcast. We're going
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to talk goalies. Connor Hellebuck.
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Chico Resch. Chico, how are you tonight?
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Hey.
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What's up? Chico.
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Welcome to these guys that I've just been listening to.
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But yeah, it's a pretty... It was a great day.
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Good win last night. And, you know, whatever the future holds,
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it looks pretty good, doesn't it, guys?
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It does. It does.
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And it's, you know, it's definitely interesting to see how
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all of this came together as we were just talking about.
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But what was your perspective when you got the news
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that somebody of the caliber of Connor Hellebuck was going
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to be coming into town? How did that feel as
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being because, you know, you're you're a huge part of
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this team. you're a goalie legacy of this team as well,
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but you're.
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Also a fan of the team. So how did, you know,
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how does that feel from those perspectives?
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Well, you know, I know people in Winnipeg scouts and
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people who work for the jets. So, uh, I wasn't,
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I was, I was a little surprised, but what happened
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was you guys, the owner of the jets, this has
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been going on and it's been a distract and you know,
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they're having, uh, you know, uh, outdoor game tonight. Okay.
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So he didn't want it to go on anymore.
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And remember in some ways that limited Shevelday off the GM.
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On what he could do in terms of trades.
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And so Sonny stepped up and I think Sonny gave
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him the best off.
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Like I know he.
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Gave him the best offer any other team did and,
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People in Winnipeg thought, well, we should have got more.
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But as you guys know, it's really hard to make
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a trade, to get a goalie, and then you're going
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to give up one of your top game-changing forwards or
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defense because you're just going sideways, right? And so that
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was what the Jets were up against. They weren't going
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to get, like, I know Buffalo was interested, but they
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weren't going to get Quinn.
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Or, you know, one of the big defensemen.
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There just weren't.
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So Sonny was ready.
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And I think the other thing that helped, and I'll
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just end this here, but Command, the draft pick that
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also went there, a lot of the Winnipeg Jets scouts
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liked him. What did he go, like.
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12th or something last year?
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Yes.
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Yeah.
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Yep.
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12th.
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Yep.
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Yeah. Yeah. So they liked him. So that helped. you know,
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them to say, Hey, you know, this is the best
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we're going to get. Let's go for it. And so
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I was a little surprised, but you know, when I
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heard all that.
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What on before it, then I wasn't as surprised.
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Hmm.
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Yeah.
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All right, Chico.
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I mean, I'm going to give you, I'm going to
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throw a, I'll throw you a little softball over here,
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you know, because there are, you know, the fan bases
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is talking and chatting and, you know, we always have
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our opinions on things and, You know, some fans may say, well,
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this guy is 33 years old.
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Oh, he's got five more years on his contract. You know,
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some people are going to say, hey, he's Vesna trophy
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winner multiple times, Hart trophy winner. Why should devil.
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Fans be excited with Connor Hellebuck in net for them?
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Well, see, all of that is both valid and then
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some of it is over the top. Before I get
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to the questions, Somebody last night in the postgame asked
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Jack Hughes, well, you know, well, Connor Hellebuck, like, you
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got a better shot at the Stanley Cup now? And
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he said, hey, we're not going there. Let's not go
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that far ahead. And that's– I like Jack's attitude because
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you don't know. Now, obviously, in the regular season, Hellebuck
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was one of the best. I mean, last year it
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was– but he also had– remember this, he also had
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one of the best teams ever.
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I followed Winnipeg. I got friends there.
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They thought they could make a run, and they had
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great regular seasons, right? But in the playoffs, Connor Halibut
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did not come through for them like they were hoping.
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But it wasn't all his fault. So here's what I
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truly feel. Connor Halibut now will definitely get us into
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the playoffs, which I've heard– the criteria for winning the
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cup is you have to make the playoffs. You can't
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win the cup. So let's start there. And I think
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he's going to bring that, but you know, the other thing,
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and that's what we just want to focus on. But
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what I liked about the guys, they were praising J
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Cal and they were praising Nico Dawes or praising.
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Mercer.
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I mean, we've got to put it in perspective that yes,
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I think he's, I'll say top 10, maybe even top
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five goalies in the league. He has been. So we
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got him. And I think now with our depth, we
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got a shot. But let's remember this, guys. The only
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way that Connor Hellenbach is going to be at his
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best is if our team is at its best, playing
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the kind of defense-first games they've played recently. But here's
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what I'll tell you about Colin. Connor Hellebuck. He's six
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foot four. He's learned his trade. And here's the thing, boys.
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From what I got from the people in Winnipeg, he
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doesn't beat himself very much. You know what I mean?
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He can't win games like Marty Brodeur used to do
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when the game was so different. He could win a
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game himself. Now it's hard for goalies. But if you
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play a structured game in front of Connor Hellebuck, He
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is going to be rock solid in there. And that's
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what I'm, I'm looking for down the stretch here. You know,
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let's like, I'm with Jack Hughes. Let's just take one
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step at a time. But I mean, how can you
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not like, how can you not like the.
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Addition, right? You'd have to be anybody, right.
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Anybody who's criticizing it, they just, there's, I guess they
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just want to be negative. I don't know because it
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was a good deal by Sonny. Agreed.
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And have you heard, or do you, do you have
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an idea of when we could possibly expect him to
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come in? Or do you think it's going to take
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a little while before they, they bring them in and
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keep Poirier in the lineup as well?
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Well, okay. He's here now. It was no practice today.
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I'm sure Colin, Connor went out, but tomorrow full practice.
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He'll be there.
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Then we'll go to Colorado. He won't play, but they'll
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have a, a morning skate. You get a lot of
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work there. And then to me, the question is, does
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he play in.
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Colorado?
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You know, because that's the second night of the back-to-back.
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Or do you get him another practice there, another practice
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in Vegas, and then he plays in Vegas. But by
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the end of the night, Friday night in Las Vegas,
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he will have played. I'm just not sure which game.
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Yeah.
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Okay.
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Yeah.
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Because he's been taking shots. He's been in Michigan. He's
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been working out. But you guys know, I have to
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tell you. I mean, NHL shots from all over, strenuous practice.
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You don't get that where he was working out in Michigan.
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And you know what?
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He wants to do well his first game, right?
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He doesn't want to win there. And he's feeling a
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little shaky.
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Yeah.
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Yeah. And so with all this situation that's been, you know,
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everything's been going on, a lot of drama in Winnipeg,
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you know, since the Olympics, you have the suspension, you know,
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the trade demands and stuff like that.
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Now he ends up in New Jersey.
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Do you, and I'm sure he, you know, I know
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athletes don't pay attention as much to the reports and
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stuff like that, but I'm sure they've seen the stuff,
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you know, like you were just talking about, hey, the
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playoff side of things. We've got the regular season, you know, Stupendous,
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but then all of a sudden in the playoff, does
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this put a chip on his shoulder?
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That's going to say, oh yeah, watch this fellas.
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Hold my beer because I'm going to go out there
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and I'm going to show you now that I am
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that top five goaltender in the league.
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Guys, I love you dearly. I played for 13 years.
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It's not what players do. They don't get motivated by
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that outside special interest. They're motivated all the time. Of
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course he wants to win a cup, right? He won
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a short Olympic gold medal, which was terrific. But if
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you've played, here's what I know players are thinking. You played. Yeah.
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You know, you made a hundred million dollars in your career.
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You had a really good career. And how many cups
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did you win? Oh, yeah. You didn't win any because
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they got everything else. You have no idea how much
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these players are given, not just in salaries, but in
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every walk of their life. I've never seen players pampered
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as much as I have now. Now, I'm not criticizing
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it because that's just the way the world has gone.
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But Connor Hellenbach, just down deep, knows that he wants
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to win a cup. But here's what I said last
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night on the air.
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And I don't know.
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I was born in Canada. I left when I was 18.
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And up until really this Olympics or even before, Canada
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was the hockey nation, right? They produced the best hockey
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players are known for hockey. Then they lose to the
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Americans in the Olympics. But I know it's a fact
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for Brady Kachuk leaving Ottawa. And I know it was
411
00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:56.599
a fact for Colin Hellenbach, Connor Hellenbach to say, listen,
412
00:20:57.450 --> 00:20:58.269
I'm American.
413
00:20:58.549 --> 00:20:59.710
I'm playing in Canada.
414
00:21:00.069 --> 00:21:02.170
We have a lot of Canadian teams that come up
415
00:21:02.230 --> 00:21:05.450
and play us, and you're telling me every time we
416
00:21:05.470 --> 00:21:09.569
play their national anthem, you're going to boo it? I
417
00:21:09.630 --> 00:21:14.509
said last night, Canadian teams have trouble getting free agents
418
00:21:15.150 --> 00:21:18.609
if they've got options to go up there. The Canadians,
419
00:21:18.650 --> 00:21:23.960
and they're my countrymen, they better smarten up and not
420
00:21:24.339 --> 00:21:29.430
go crazy over American national anthem or anything that is
421
00:21:29.470 --> 00:21:33.480
going to, uh, tick off the American players up there. Right.
422
00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:34.819
What, why would you do that?
423
00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:38.039
But you know, there's crazies in every, in every part
424
00:21:38.059 --> 00:21:41.140
of the world. And, and some of the stuff that
425
00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:45.119
Colin Connor, excuse me, Connor Hallenbach and his wife had
426
00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:47.500
to put up with after they won the Olympics and
427
00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:53.029
Brady could chuck a little bit too was ridiculous. And so,
428
00:21:53.049 --> 00:21:56.160
so that's, that's part of the issue too. But, No,
429
00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:59.140
Conor wants to win the Cup, but what Jack Hughes
430
00:21:59.180 --> 00:22:02.920
said last night, please, do not, let's not go there.
431
00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:06.710
That is so far down the road, you know? And
432
00:22:06.750 --> 00:22:07.109
you know what?
433
00:22:07.170 --> 00:22:09.109
Jack Hughes has got to win a Cup. Never mind
434
00:22:09.150 --> 00:22:13.029
just Hellebuck. I mean, Jack Hughes, all he's done, he
435
00:22:13.049 --> 00:22:17.319
never played junior, he never played college. Came right in
436
00:22:17.339 --> 00:22:20.500
the NHL. He's been the best player everywhere he's played, okay?
437
00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:24.980
He has. But... if the Devils don't do well in
438
00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:28.480
the playoffs and win a Stanley Cup, that's always going
439
00:22:28.500 --> 00:22:34.089
to be a bone of contention for him. So he
440
00:22:34.119 --> 00:22:37.589
wants to win it too, as do many others. So
441
00:22:37.650 --> 00:22:40.089
that's why they're going to try to downplay the playoffs
442
00:22:40.829 --> 00:22:42.650
until they begin.
443
00:22:43.490 --> 00:22:46.390
But I will say this, the Devils.
444
00:22:46.150 --> 00:22:48.349
Are going to make the playoffs this year, which is
445
00:22:48.390 --> 00:22:49.509
a good start, right, guys?
446
00:22:50.430 --> 00:22:51.829
Yeah, that is a start.
447
00:22:51.890 --> 00:22:52.970
We haven't done that much.
448
00:22:54.029 --> 00:22:54.289
Yeah.
449
00:22:54.349 --> 00:22:57.849
And it's one of, one of our listeners wants to know, um,
450
00:22:59.250 --> 00:23:00.410
his game, hell box game.
451
00:23:00.430 --> 00:23:02.930
Does he play the puck? Well, is he reliable?
452
00:23:03.049 --> 00:23:05.690
Like, you know, getting out of the net and playing
453
00:23:05.710 --> 00:23:08.130
the puck and being that extra man back there.
454
00:23:08.170 --> 00:23:10.880
Yeah. He's a good skater. Let me ask, cause I,
455
00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:13.359
you know, I asked all these questions and he's a
456
00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:15.039
good skater and he's, you know, he's.
457
00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:15.799
Six foot four.
458
00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:18.400
So he might only have to move a little less
459
00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:22.690
than a step, but no, he, he handles the puck. Well, he, um,
460
00:23:23.569 --> 00:23:25.809
he moves well in the crease, you know, when he
461
00:23:25.869 --> 00:23:29.630
had trouble in the playoffs, what I noticed, he would
462
00:23:29.710 --> 00:23:33.950
back into the crease and drop down prematurely. And so
463
00:23:34.009 --> 00:23:37.619
the other team was really shooting up high, but I mean,
464
00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:42.319
that was, I was two, three years ago. He's no dummy.
465
00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:46.339
I'm sure he's corrected that, but no, he can skate. Well,
466
00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:48.529
he could play the puck. I don't know if he
467
00:23:48.549 --> 00:23:52.349
can score a goal like just Durkin, but he's no, he,
468
00:23:53.750 --> 00:23:58.349
There isn't anything really that you could say, yeah, he's good,
469
00:23:58.390 --> 00:24:01.539
but he doesn't do this well. He's a pretty complete goalie.
470
00:24:02.470 --> 00:24:05.900
Yeah, and you look at, speaking of the crosstown rivals,
471
00:24:05.960 --> 00:24:07.519
I mean, you look at the three goalies in the
472
00:24:07.619 --> 00:24:11.380
East right now with Sorokin, Shosturkin, and Hellbuck. I mean,
473
00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:14.779
that's a pretty hefty three-headed monster right there.
474
00:24:16.579 --> 00:24:20.089
Shosturkin lost tonight. Shosturkin, I've been watching. Shosturkin's not the
475
00:24:20.130 --> 00:24:22.450
goalie he was a couple of years ago. Just look
476
00:24:22.490 --> 00:24:24.970
at his stats and look at his play. But that
477
00:24:25.009 --> 00:24:30.009
being said, you know, I mean, Washington has got Thompson.
478
00:24:30.049 --> 00:24:34.680
He's a good goalie. And like you said, Sturken. And
479
00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:38.079
I'm trying to think, the kid in Boston. I'm trying
480
00:24:38.099 --> 00:24:39.500
to think of the teams we're going to face.
481
00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:39.779
Yeah.
482
00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:41.099
Swayman.
483
00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:41.500
Swayman.
484
00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.039
You know.
485
00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:47.210
Yep. So I'm saying you guys are right. Whoever it is,
486
00:24:47.670 --> 00:24:51.539
there's three or four other top goalies. And we got
487
00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:55.369
to say Bussie now, I guess. He did win the cup.
488
00:24:55.119 --> 00:25:00.450
For the Carolina Hurricanes. Yeah, that's true. And you know what,
489
00:25:00.569 --> 00:25:02.349
you guys? Here I always look at it.
490
00:25:03.930 --> 00:25:08.609
If their centerman comes back, sorry, who's been out all
491
00:25:08.650 --> 00:25:13.049
last year for Florida, and he's out this year again.
492
00:25:13.730 --> 00:25:15.430
Oh, Barkov.
493
00:25:15.450 --> 00:25:15.950
Oh, Barkov.
494
00:25:16.609 --> 00:25:17.390
Barkov, thank you.
495
00:25:17.529 --> 00:25:17.890
Barkov, yeah.
496
00:25:19.549 --> 00:25:22.490
So if Barkov comes back and they get it together,
497
00:25:22.930 --> 00:25:28.490
what will be really fascinating if Jacob Markstrom's playing well
498
00:25:28.549 --> 00:25:31.670
and he's the guy at the other end facing the Devils. But,
499
00:25:32.009 --> 00:25:34.910
you know, we can talk about this and it's just,
500
00:25:35.869 --> 00:25:38.930
you know, just talk right now. But yeah, you know,
501
00:25:38.970 --> 00:25:40.970
as good as Hellebuck is and as good as I,
502
00:25:41.349 --> 00:25:44.950
I think the Devils team is the best they've been.
503
00:25:45.009 --> 00:25:46.650
Guys, I don't know what you think. You tell me.
504
00:25:47.289 --> 00:25:49.890
When was the last time that the Devils had this
505
00:25:49.950 --> 00:25:52.250
kind of depth in their lineup.
506
00:25:52.329 --> 00:25:52.950
What do you think?
507
00:25:55.049 --> 00:25:58.490
Well, I feel like we thought we had this depth
508
00:25:58.829 --> 00:26:01.650
for a couple of years, and it turned out that
509
00:26:02.710 --> 00:26:08.210
not as much. But I really have enjoyed what Sonny,
510
00:26:08.269 --> 00:26:10.119
and that's actually a question I want to ask you, too,
511
00:26:10.130 --> 00:26:12.390
in regards to Sonny.
512
00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:17.740
But I loved, absolutely loved him bringing in Evan Rodriguez.
513
00:26:18.339 --> 00:26:22.079
Because he is just one of those you know bring
514
00:26:22.099 --> 00:26:24.940
your lunch pail to work type of players out there
515
00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:29.279
on the ice he's feisty you know like i i
516
00:26:29.339 --> 00:26:30.319
know uh.
517
00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:32.019
I can't remember who we were playing um.
518
00:26:32.839 --> 00:26:34.440
Where he kind of like got the stick up a
519
00:26:34.460 --> 00:26:37.549
little high in that face-off circle where someone kind of
520
00:26:37.569 --> 00:26:39.069
gave him a little push oh yeah i don't know
521
00:26:39.109 --> 00:26:41.369
yeah you don't want to see but for me i
522
00:26:41.490 --> 00:26:44.539
was like oh, hey, we haven't seen that sort of
523
00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:46.190
fire in a couple years.
524
00:26:46.890 --> 00:26:47.890
I like that.
525
00:26:48.410 --> 00:26:50.990
Evan Rodriguez is out there, and this is who I am,
526
00:26:51.029 --> 00:26:52.769
and this is what I'm going to give you. And
527
00:26:52.930 --> 00:26:57.160
I think that is starting to bleed over into the.
528
00:26:57.160 --> 00:26:57.900
Rest of the team.
529
00:26:58.220 --> 00:27:00.839
And also moving Manta down to that third line there
530
00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:05.119
has stretched that scoring depth. So I really like it
531
00:27:05.140 --> 00:27:09.380
bringing back Jesper Boquist. You know, Lombardi has been a
532
00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:13.440
nice find so far. Cody Glass being healthy.
533
00:27:13.619 --> 00:27:20.089
You're forgetting maybe the best trade he made. Luke Evangelista.
534
00:27:20.430 --> 00:27:21.049
Oh, yes.
535
00:27:21.069 --> 00:27:22.910
Oh, Evangelista, yes.
536
00:27:23.910 --> 00:27:27.519
Because we've become kind of friends and he was shocked
537
00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:31.180
they traded him. Now, I know his contract was up and,
538
00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:35.369
you know, they've got Stamkos and they got Philip Forsberg,
539
00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:37.529
and they got the guy on the fan. I mean,
540
00:27:37.630 --> 00:27:41.349
I don't know what their money situation is, but I thought,
541
00:27:42.430 --> 00:27:45.609
you know, Nashville, you need to score more. You need
542
00:27:45.650 --> 00:27:48.529
some top end players. Like, see, here's all I'm saying
543
00:27:48.589 --> 00:27:53.950
is Rodriguez is good, but we had Cody Glass. Cody
544
00:27:53.990 --> 00:27:57.650
Glass is like in that caliber, but now we've got
545
00:27:57.710 --> 00:27:59.849
Rodriguez and Cody Glass.
546
00:27:59.950 --> 00:28:04.460
Last year, we didn't have anybody behind. Then you've got Manta.
547
00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:09.609
Like you say, he looks more comfortable on the third line.
548
00:28:10.069 --> 00:28:11.970
But here's what we didn't know.
549
00:28:12.029 --> 00:28:16.890
Okay, Evangelista fits in well with Meyer and Nikogesha, okay?
550
00:28:17.569 --> 00:28:21.309
But I've been saying for four years, you know, I
551
00:28:21.329 --> 00:28:23.019
played on a Stanley Cup winner.
552
00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:25.119
If you don't have three guys on the.
553
00:28:25.099 --> 00:28:29.779
Line, Jack and Jesper Bratt will not ever be all
554
00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:32.880
they can be. It's just the rule of hockey.
555
00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:35.940
But now, that Gritsuk.
556
00:28:37.240 --> 00:28:37.799
Oh, yeah.
557
00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:41.119
You've got to love his attitude and his skill.
558
00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:46.539
That coast-to-coast goal the other game was great that he had.
559
00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:50.779
Yeah. And, you know, after he made the star, you
560
00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:52.940
guys maybe weren't there, but you know how guys just
561
00:28:52.980 --> 00:28:54.680
come out and they'll circle a little bit with the
562
00:28:54.740 --> 00:28:56.930
puck and throw it to the same group of people?
563
00:28:56.970 --> 00:28:57.960
All the way to the other side of the ice.
564
00:28:57.990 --> 00:28:58.650
He went flying.
565
00:28:58.670 --> 00:28:59.789
Remember?
566
00:28:59.829 --> 00:29:01.970
He went all the way down into the other team's
567
00:29:02.130 --> 00:29:05.680
end and He's got that kind of free spirit.
568
00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:06.680
Yeah.
569
00:29:06.819 --> 00:29:07.759
And you know what?
570
00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:10.680
To play with those two guys, you've got to go
571
00:29:10.819 --> 00:29:14.019
east and west. I mean, across ice as well as
572
00:29:14.180 --> 00:29:16.160
up and down. You've got to know when to go
573
00:29:16.200 --> 00:29:17.640
to the front of the net. You just don't go
574
00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:19.849
park yourself in front of the net. You've got to
575
00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:22.470
look to see when can I give Jack an out.
576
00:29:22.950 --> 00:29:24.789
Jack's being pressured. Do you know what I mean?
577
00:29:24.829 --> 00:29:28.339
Like, to me, he is such a find out.
578
00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:36.619
And, you know, in our draft picks haven't been, let's
579
00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:39.750
be honest, they haven't been impact players in the last three,
580
00:29:39.769 --> 00:29:43.539
four years. five years so yeah he's another fine so
581
00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:46.099
i just don't know and on defense you know we
582
00:29:46.119 --> 00:29:49.140
got seven guys that can play and and i don't
583
00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:52.200
know what will happen down the road but i don't
584
00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:53.660
know any teams that have.
585
00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:58.160
Any more depth than we do i i really don't.
586
00:29:58.809 --> 00:30:01.849
Yeah, and well-balanced, too. Well-balanced depth.
587
00:30:03.369 --> 00:30:06.230
Yeah, and that's, you know, Chico, I wanted to ask you,
588
00:30:06.769 --> 00:30:10.799
you know, because Siliev was not included, you know, in
589
00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:15.180
that trade. So, from a GM perspective, we're talking about Rodriguez,
590
00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:19.240
we're talking about Evangelista, you know, what do you feel
591
00:30:19.319 --> 00:30:22.509
like is almost like a review of Sonny's work so far?
592
00:30:23.049 --> 00:30:26.089
Getting Hellebuck in here, you know, yes, we lost Dawson Mercer,
593
00:30:26.130 --> 00:30:29.430
but hey, that's a pretty good deal for the Devils,
594
00:30:29.529 --> 00:30:33.150
not giving up any extra first-round picks. Yes, command, okay,
595
00:30:33.210 --> 00:30:38.150
but not giving up any other future first-rounders. Dawson Mercer, Bustad,
596
00:30:38.170 --> 00:30:41.109
who is injured right now, bringing evangelism.
597
00:30:41.390 --> 00:30:42.750
And he's getting.
598
00:30:42.549 --> 00:30:45.029
Rave reviews from Winnipeg's GM saying, oh, it was a
599
00:30:45.130 --> 00:30:47.910
pleasure working with this guy, like so professional.
600
00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:50.690
And man, he got down and serious.
601
00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:53.750
What would you say, like from a GM perspective, you know,
602
00:30:53.809 --> 00:30:57.299
like how Sonny is doing overall for this team?
603
00:30:59.240 --> 00:31:01.779
Well, okay, one thing I think we all like, Sonny
604
00:31:01.819 --> 00:31:03.940
didn't come in and say, you know, I want to
605
00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:06.220
be the GM here for like five or ten years.
606
00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:09.359
I'm going to just tiptoe along and play it safe
607
00:31:09.460 --> 00:31:14.000
and not put myself on the spot. No. He saw
608
00:31:14.039 --> 00:31:17.519
it and thought, I want to go for it right away. Now,
609
00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:22.740
to get, you know, to get Markstrom out, traded down
610
00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:25.640
to Florida. They had a want to get rid of Bobrovsky,
611
00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:27.700
but I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what happens here.
612
00:31:27.819 --> 00:31:30.619
I know Bobrovsky and he wins two cups. He has
613
00:31:30.720 --> 00:31:32.440
one bad year and then you, you don't want them.
614
00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:36.269
But I think they think Markstrom's never won a cup.
615
00:31:37.069 --> 00:31:41.089
And just what you were saying earlier, the hunger to
616
00:31:41.150 --> 00:31:44.750
win a cup has got to be so strong inside
617
00:31:44.769 --> 00:31:45.369
a player.
618
00:31:45.849 --> 00:31:48.289
It doesn't come from the outside. It comes from within.
619
00:31:48.309 --> 00:31:51.180
And I think he thought, you know, Bobrovsky has been
620
00:31:51.220 --> 00:31:54.140
to the mountaintop. He's going down the other side, but
621
00:31:54.220 --> 00:31:58.049
Markstrom's never been there. He's never, and he's hungry. So
622
00:31:58.089 --> 00:32:01.450
we'll make a trade. That was brilliant by Sonny, right?
623
00:32:02.069 --> 00:32:05.349
And then he got those other players and I'm going
624
00:32:05.369 --> 00:32:07.630
to wait till we go into Nashville, but I am
625
00:32:07.750 --> 00:32:13.450
still amazed why Nashville traded Evangelista. And I asked him,
626
00:32:13.509 --> 00:32:16.970
he doesn't know. He said he shot, he shocked. So
627
00:32:17.289 --> 00:32:22.190
that was a good trade. And, um, You know, Chisholm,
628
00:32:23.170 --> 00:32:24.670
he's a nice pickup, right?
629
00:32:25.769 --> 00:32:25.990
Yeah.
630
00:32:26.049 --> 00:32:31.230
You know, I mean, he's needed an extra defense. Yeah. So,
631
00:32:32.109 --> 00:32:38.170
and then this Hellebutt trade, I mean, let's be honest.
632
00:32:38.650 --> 00:32:41.960
Everything Sonny's done, you cannot question it.
633
00:32:42.450 --> 00:32:42.910
You can't.
634
00:32:43.049 --> 00:32:46.410
But that being said, the guys that he got still
635
00:32:46.450 --> 00:32:49.029
have to come through, right? Yep.
636
00:32:49.329 --> 00:32:49.549
Right.
637
00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:51.619
And prove it on the ice.
638
00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:52.640
Yeah.
639
00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:55.599
And so far to, to your, to your point of
640
00:32:55.819 --> 00:33:00.119
evangelista has, has paid dividends so far. And, you know,
641
00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:03.880
it just, it feels like bringing up the, the, uh,
642
00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:05.529
the depth of the team. I know a lot of
643
00:33:05.549 --> 00:33:08.029
people in the, uh, the YouTube chat were saying the
644
00:33:08.069 --> 00:33:09.829
last time they felt like they had this kind of
645
00:33:09.869 --> 00:33:12.329
depth was 2012 where you could go out and you
646
00:33:12.369 --> 00:33:15.009
can roll those four lines. He had that Carter Gionta
647
00:33:15.069 --> 00:33:17.569
line and you could really get some, you know.
648
00:33:17.589 --> 00:33:18.029
Things going.
649
00:33:18.569 --> 00:33:21.180
I feel the same way, but you, You also nailed
650
00:33:21.500 --> 00:33:25.569
Gritsiuk has been such a joy to watch and this
651
00:33:25.670 --> 00:33:28.569
maturation of like his game of being on this line.
652
00:33:28.630 --> 00:33:30.970
And you could see he put, it's not even on
653
00:33:31.049 --> 00:33:32.329
puck off puck.
654
00:33:32.369 --> 00:33:34.009
He's putting himself in the right spot.
655
00:33:34.670 --> 00:33:39.650
He's, you know, that, that goal playing well defensively, it
656
00:33:39.670 --> 00:33:42.579
just seems like it unlocked a different part of his game.
657
00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:47.299
And he's, he's elevated his, yeah, it's elevated his level
658
00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:51.369
to match the level of Jack and Jesper. And I
659
00:33:51.390 --> 00:33:53.309
don't know if it was on purpose, but that, that
660
00:33:53.630 --> 00:33:55.789
empty net goal in the last game where Jack gave
661
00:33:55.809 --> 00:33:58.500
it to Gritsuk to get that empty netter. I wonder
662
00:33:58.539 --> 00:34:00.400
if that was because he's gotten four in a row
663
00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:02.039
and he wanted to get him a fifth in a row.
664
00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:05.160
I don't know if Jack maybe was being selfless in
665
00:34:05.200 --> 00:34:07.180
that moment, but if so, if not either way, it
666
00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:10.250
was great. But yeah, the three of them seem to
667
00:34:10.309 --> 00:34:13.010
be really clicking and hopefully that can continue.
668
00:34:13.070 --> 00:34:13.269
Right.
669
00:34:15.050 --> 00:34:15.289
Right.
670
00:34:15.349 --> 00:34:19.480
And this wasn't planned, but you know, You know, I
671
00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:20.320
don't like the term.
672
00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:22.860
Guys, don't use it. Like the team's buying in. I
673
00:34:22.900 --> 00:34:25.539
say buying into what? You know what they're buying into?
674
00:34:25.559 --> 00:34:26.460
They want to win.
675
00:34:26.940 --> 00:34:30.159
And you know how you win? You play defense first.
676
00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:33.030
And you play on selflessly. And I think that's what
677
00:34:33.090 --> 00:34:37.210
Jack realized. I don't know how many goals Jack has scored.
678
00:34:37.250 --> 00:34:39.849
He's going to score so many more. But you just
679
00:34:39.889 --> 00:34:41.849
think you're sitting on the bench and you're his teammate.
680
00:34:42.289 --> 00:34:45.320
And he goes down and he scores at himself. Are
681
00:34:45.340 --> 00:34:48.449
you going to think, oh, that's great? No, you're not
682
00:34:48.489 --> 00:34:51.070
going to think as much of it as if when
683
00:34:51.110 --> 00:34:54.010
he passed over to Gritsuk and let him score. And
684
00:34:54.050 --> 00:34:58.349
that's every guy on that team has got to become
685
00:34:58.510 --> 00:35:01.599
totally unselfish, but they've got to do it.
686
00:35:01.579 --> 00:35:02.320
In their own end.
687
00:35:02.780 --> 00:35:04.780
And I got to tell you guys sitting on the bench,
688
00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:08.300
you have no idea how in tune those guys are
689
00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:12.760
watching their teammates do little things. They're unselfish. You know,
690
00:35:12.820 --> 00:35:14.730
he really paid the price there. He gave up his
691
00:35:14.829 --> 00:35:19.000
body like Pesci. I mean, You know, Pesci's just, so,
692
00:35:19.860 --> 00:35:23.650
you know, what we've got, and even like now, okay,
693
00:35:23.670 --> 00:35:26.889
you got Luke Hughes. Guys, let's not start saying, oh yeah,
694
00:35:26.929 --> 00:35:27.969
Luke Hughes got to score more.
695
00:35:27.989 --> 00:35:28.730
He's got to score more.
696
00:35:29.349 --> 00:35:33.050
He'll score some more, but no, he's playing defense first.
697
00:35:33.110 --> 00:35:36.880
I've always said to him, what's your job as a defenseman?
698
00:35:37.889 --> 00:35:38.619
Protect the goalie?
699
00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:42.059
I said, yes. And so if we're going to win,
700
00:35:42.820 --> 00:35:44.739
and there's going to be some games where the D
701
00:35:44.800 --> 00:35:47.369
is going to be loose. But you see the last
702
00:35:47.449 --> 00:35:51.840
three games, the Rangers and the game the other night
703
00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:56.500
and the game they won before that. Yeah. It's like
704
00:35:57.239 --> 00:36:01.340
you shut the other team down, get them frustrated. Everybody's
705
00:36:01.389 --> 00:36:03.969
part of that. You know, when you're just scoring goals,
706
00:36:04.289 --> 00:36:07.550
not everybody's part of that, right? The guy scoring goals
707
00:36:07.630 --> 00:36:10.369
and making the plays they are, but everybody else, like,
708
00:36:10.690 --> 00:36:13.409
that's what I loved about Pesci's goal. That guy had
709
00:36:13.469 --> 00:36:19.179
stopped so many goals. That's overlooked. But then last night,
710
00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:20.360
he got the game winner.
711
00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:23.420
And how they celebrated, too.
712
00:36:23.480 --> 00:36:23.739
Yeah.
713
00:36:23.840 --> 00:36:25.699
You see how the guys were super excited for him.
714
00:36:26.760 --> 00:36:30.309
The old toe drag there from Brett Pesci. Didn't have
715
00:36:30.329 --> 00:36:33.909
that on the big old card going in, you know? Nope.
716
00:36:34.329 --> 00:36:35.789
Nope.
717
00:36:35.929 --> 00:36:39.519
And they were so excited for him. But it's got
718
00:36:39.539 --> 00:36:42.420
to be team. And remember, there's only going to be
719
00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:45.280
at the end of the year, how many teams are
720
00:36:45.300 --> 00:36:46.900
going to get to hold the Stanley Cup?
721
00:36:47.610 --> 00:36:47.820
One.
722
00:36:47.860 --> 00:36:48.469
Just one.
723
00:36:49.010 --> 00:36:49.159
One.
724
00:36:50.030 --> 00:36:53.630
And we could be part of five, but will we
725
00:36:53.670 --> 00:36:54.369
be the one?
726
00:36:55.289 --> 00:36:55.829
You know what I mean?
727
00:36:55.869 --> 00:37:00.510
That's what you got to build all that inside, that internal,
728
00:37:02.130 --> 00:37:04.809
more than just talking. Everybody talks a great game, as
729
00:37:04.849 --> 00:37:08.550
you know. But when Jack Hughes did there, that was terrific.
730
00:37:09.280 --> 00:37:11.800
It wasn't his talk. It was what you saw he did.
731
00:37:12.619 --> 00:37:16.920
Same thing the other night. Pesci, he sees there's nobody
732
00:37:17.059 --> 00:37:19.809
on him. He puts his knee down and uses his
733
00:37:19.849 --> 00:37:22.730
gloves so the puck doesn't bounce over a stick. Then
734
00:37:22.769 --> 00:37:25.309
he shoots it. And who puts in the rebound for
735
00:37:25.329 --> 00:37:30.800
a big goal? Anthony Mantha. It's those little things that
736
00:37:30.840 --> 00:37:35.719
you got to look at that the players notice. Wow,
737
00:37:35.780 --> 00:37:40.199
that guy. And And those guys love Nico Dawes, and
738
00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:43.579
they love Jake Allen, and they love Dawson Mercer. And,
739
00:37:43.960 --> 00:37:47.090
you know, they love those guys. And that's what they
740
00:37:47.159 --> 00:37:50.670
really were feeling a little bit. But they will learn also,
741
00:37:50.710 --> 00:37:54.389
I think, to love Hellebuck. But it's, you know, just
742
00:37:54.530 --> 00:37:56.090
one step at a time, right, guys?
743
00:37:56.829 --> 00:37:57.969
We don't want to race ahead.
744
00:37:59.090 --> 00:37:59.949
No, absolutely.
745
00:38:01.670 --> 00:38:03.429
And speaking of, you know, we were just talking about
746
00:38:03.530 --> 00:38:06.070
Sonny as a GM and, you know, our goaltending team.
747
00:38:07.190 --> 00:38:08.409
When you bring in a.
748
00:38:08.730 --> 00:38:11.090
Guy like a Connor Hellebuck, who obviously is going to
749
00:38:11.110 --> 00:38:15.789
be your number one, he's already locked into five more
750
00:38:15.809 --> 00:38:18.719
years on this contract.
751
00:38:19.480 --> 00:38:23.780
Where does that put Malik in the AHL?
752
00:38:23.940 --> 00:38:25.940
And a guy that I know a lot of fans
753
00:38:25.980 --> 00:38:30.679
have been excited about, Yegorov, who is still playing in
754
00:38:30.739 --> 00:38:34.510
college right now. But what does that, does that change
755
00:38:34.690 --> 00:38:40.190
anything for them? Do they become, you know, maybe trade chips?
756
00:38:40.250 --> 00:38:43.130
Do they, you know, like, is there any difference then,
757
00:38:43.349 --> 00:38:46.150
you know, now that you have a hella buck signed
758
00:38:46.250 --> 00:38:47.110
for five years?
759
00:38:49.179 --> 00:38:50.000
Well, of course.
760
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:52.739
I mean, but you don't know that that guy, was
761
00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:53.659
he Boston College?
762
00:38:53.679 --> 00:38:55.639
Mm-hmm.
763
00:38:55.659 --> 00:38:56.260
Boston U.
764
00:38:56.300 --> 00:38:57.619
BU, BU, BU, yeah.
765
00:38:57.699 --> 00:39:01.150
Yeah. You don't know. Like I say to people, could
766
00:39:01.190 --> 00:39:04.309
you quit, especially unless you've played a goal at a
767
00:39:04.369 --> 00:39:09.750
high level, quit trying to predict what these guys, don't
768
00:39:09.789 --> 00:39:13.150
put the crown on them till they earn the crown. But,
769
00:39:13.409 --> 00:39:14.929
you know, you say, yeah, we're going to, and I
770
00:39:14.989 --> 00:39:17.980
know this is part of being a fan and media. Oh,
771
00:39:17.989 --> 00:39:19.670
you know, he's going to be good. They want to
772
00:39:19.730 --> 00:39:22.510
go out early and say, yeah, I knew that. But no,
773
00:39:23.429 --> 00:39:27.429
Hellebuck is going to be, the go-to guy for, let's
774
00:39:27.449 --> 00:39:32.469
just say, three to four years. If he's good. Nobody
775
00:39:32.530 --> 00:39:36.019
else is going to be playing regular. You've got to
776
00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:40.320
go with him. I don't know what's going to happen
777
00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:46.599
to those other guys, but Devin Levy has finally got
778
00:39:46.639 --> 00:39:49.349
a spot in Remember, he was coming out of college
779
00:39:49.389 --> 00:39:52.590
and he was going to be the greatest goalie ever
780
00:39:52.650 --> 00:39:56.349
in the history of mankind. And it didn't work out.
781
00:39:57.320 --> 00:40:00.739
And now he's at Edmonton and he's hurt, but he's
782
00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:05.039
playing okay. But again, this guy, oh, he can't miss.
783
00:40:05.079 --> 00:40:08.239
He's going to be great. I've just seen, well, we're
784
00:40:08.280 --> 00:40:09.219
talking about Gritsik.
785
00:40:09.550 --> 00:40:12.329
I don't know what his top end level is, guys,
786
00:40:13.070 --> 00:40:16.260
but that guy has a little bit. He's got a
787
00:40:16.260 --> 00:40:20.900
little something inside him that just seems to separate him.
788
00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:23.880
And how far it takes him, we're going to have
789
00:40:23.920 --> 00:40:25.239
a good time watching.
790
00:40:26.510 --> 00:40:27.929
Yeah.
791
00:40:27.989 --> 00:40:31.510
So one of our listeners is asking, do you think
792
00:40:31.530 --> 00:40:34.710
there will be another move upcoming? We have a backup
793
00:40:34.789 --> 00:40:38.389
forwards on the roster and no cap to recall Nason.
794
00:40:38.929 --> 00:40:42.280
Does Poirier get waived now or in a different move
795
00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:44.909
like coming in? So do you, I don't know if
796
00:40:44.949 --> 00:40:47.050
you have privy to anything that you hear, but.
797
00:40:48.730 --> 00:40:51.530
Well, here's, here's guys. We've got a hundred thousand dollars
798
00:40:52.530 --> 00:40:57.030
to spend, right? With Hellebuck Wentz's car contract. We're a
799
00:40:57.070 --> 00:41:01.719
hundred thousand dollars under the cap. So if it's me,
800
00:41:02.840 --> 00:41:04.639
I don't know why he has to make another move.
801
00:41:05.300 --> 00:41:08.099
Let's see if the, because you need two top lines.
802
00:41:08.139 --> 00:41:11.059
You need two top centermen. And now we've got two
803
00:41:11.159 --> 00:41:15.949
lines here. that can be pretty solid. If one's being
804
00:41:15.989 --> 00:41:18.250
shut down or not doing their best, the other guy
805
00:41:18.289 --> 00:41:21.710
can step up. We got a terrific third line. I mean,
806
00:41:21.730 --> 00:41:24.809
you're asking these guys to buy in, but then you're saying, yeah,
807
00:41:24.849 --> 00:41:27.130
but we're going to maybe trade up if we can.
808
00:41:27.150 --> 00:41:29.809
I don't know. Can you trade up from Connor Brown?
809
00:41:30.389 --> 00:41:34.110
Like that guy is a great third or fourth line
810
00:41:34.269 --> 00:41:35.489
and he loves it. Yes.
811
00:41:36.690 --> 00:41:36.909
Yeah.
812
00:41:37.429 --> 00:41:39.849
So that's all I'm saying. If I'm sunny and I,
813
00:41:40.559 --> 00:41:42.480
I know Sonny. He was down in Florida.
814
00:41:42.860 --> 00:41:43.599
He knew.
815
00:41:44.360 --> 00:41:49.039
He saw Bobrovsky play in the playoffs. He knows that
816
00:41:49.260 --> 00:41:52.199
the Devils needed, if they.
817
00:41:52.099 --> 00:41:53.119
Could, a go-to guy.
818
00:41:53.239 --> 00:41:55.920
I don't know. Nico does. I like him. I like
819
00:41:55.960 --> 00:41:59.840
his style. He can be a really good goalie. But
820
00:41:59.889 --> 00:42:03.789
to get Connor Halibut, who's the history he has, right?
821
00:42:04.630 --> 00:42:07.670
You got to go for that. So I would just
822
00:42:07.809 --> 00:42:10.760
lay low, let this team develop. And, you know, the
823
00:42:10.800 --> 00:42:14.000
other thing, the coach has got to.
824
00:42:13.960 --> 00:42:16.019
Mesh with the players.
825
00:42:16.099 --> 00:42:19.480
He doesn't make them better, but the players have got
826
00:42:19.519 --> 00:42:25.039
to know that this coach can push the right buttons,
827
00:42:25.139 --> 00:42:29.449
make the right choices in the game for us to
828
00:42:29.489 --> 00:42:33.130
be our best, you know? And I played for Al Arbor,
829
00:42:33.349 --> 00:42:35.710
you know, the greatest coach ever in my mind. So,
830
00:42:36.090 --> 00:42:39.010
you know, there's things that now have to start being developed.
831
00:42:39.429 --> 00:42:43.489
So let's just, take it easy right now and let
832
00:42:43.550 --> 00:42:47.289
it unfold. And I'm not even looking for anything else
833
00:42:47.349 --> 00:42:47.809
right now.
834
00:42:48.389 --> 00:42:49.090
I really not.
835
00:42:49.730 --> 00:42:52.659
I don't see where, you know, like Quinn Hughes can't
836
00:42:52.699 --> 00:42:57.199
come in now. That's ridiculous. Be ridiculous. You wouldn't want
837
00:42:57.219 --> 00:43:00.320
them in right now. You want this group to develop
838
00:43:00.500 --> 00:43:04.159
a sense of who they are and we're a team.
839
00:43:04.590 --> 00:43:05.530
And you know what I mean?
840
00:43:06.230 --> 00:43:06.710
It's yeah.
841
00:43:08.320 --> 00:43:11.199
Yeah. So now down the road, I really don't know
842
00:43:11.239 --> 00:43:14.869
what's going to happen with Quinn Hughes, but you know, that,
843
00:43:14.909 --> 00:43:17.789
that'll play out, but we don't have the money yet.
844
00:43:18.650 --> 00:43:19.230
Right guys.
845
00:43:19.309 --> 00:43:23.030
We don't have the money yet. Yeah. Yeah. You know,
846
00:43:23.130 --> 00:43:26.269
the cap's going up 10 million next year. So you
847
00:43:26.289 --> 00:43:29.909
got 10 million, you'll be able to give him and
848
00:43:31.550 --> 00:43:34.750
Brendan Dillon's probably not going to be back. And so
849
00:43:34.789 --> 00:43:39.840
there's four. That's that'd be 14. And then I don't
850
00:43:39.880 --> 00:43:42.820
know what Stefan Nason has. I think he's three or four.
851
00:43:43.340 --> 00:43:46.539
My point being is you're going to have to free
852
00:43:46.619 --> 00:43:51.219
up some, if you would get Quinn and you, you know,
853
00:43:51.260 --> 00:43:53.860
you gotta, you gotta be careful where you get it.
854
00:43:54.429 --> 00:43:59.050
But yeah, but right now we should be good enough
855
00:43:59.269 --> 00:44:03.230
with the guys we have to make the playoffs. And
856
00:44:03.269 --> 00:44:05.329
I think we could make a real good run in
857
00:44:05.369 --> 00:44:07.719
the playoffs, but, I want to wait and see.
858
00:44:09.619 --> 00:44:14.010
Do you think, Chico, the team, the way it's constructed now,
859
00:44:14.030 --> 00:44:17.130
and like you said, I think they're still finding their
860
00:44:17.210 --> 00:44:20.809
identity and everything, but do you think this team right
861
00:44:20.849 --> 00:44:23.650
now could maybe contend with Carolina?
862
00:44:23.670 --> 00:44:24.929
Because that's been the.
863
00:44:26.150 --> 00:44:29.710
The ultra roadblock for this team for the last number
864
00:44:29.730 --> 00:44:31.730
of years and for a lot of teams in general
865
00:44:32.449 --> 00:44:35.389
is the Carolina Hurricanes with Coach Brindamore and how he
866
00:44:35.429 --> 00:44:38.429
gets that team ready to go every single season.
867
00:44:38.949 --> 00:44:41.570
But do you think the way they're constructed, they could,
868
00:44:42.090 --> 00:44:45.070
you know, possibly hang with the Canes?
869
00:44:46.889 --> 00:44:47.449
Absolutely.
870
00:44:47.570 --> 00:44:48.710
And that's a good analysis.
871
00:44:49.070 --> 00:44:53.530
But remember, guys, the last years we've had our top
872
00:44:53.730 --> 00:44:55.710
two lines have only had two players.
873
00:44:56.179 --> 00:44:57.179
It wasn't a line.
874
00:44:57.699 --> 00:45:02.179
Even with Nico and Timo Meier, you know, Brown played
875
00:45:02.219 --> 00:45:04.920
there and then Mercer played there. But you did not
876
00:45:04.980 --> 00:45:11.800
have a legitimate first-line winger. I hope Evangelista is that.
877
00:45:11.880 --> 00:45:15.559
So now that line's solid. And then if Gritsuk with
878
00:45:15.659 --> 00:45:19.820
Bratt and Hughes, there's our second line because that's what
879
00:45:19.860 --> 00:45:24.460
Carolina had. And remember, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy
880
00:45:24.500 --> 00:45:24.900
last year?
881
00:45:27.250 --> 00:45:28.869
Slate, not Slavin, but.
882
00:45:32.190 --> 00:45:34.289
Stahl. Stahl.
883
00:45:34.309 --> 00:45:35.750
George Stahl, yeah.
884
00:45:35.809 --> 00:45:37.519
He's 36 to 37. Yeah.
885
00:45:37.639 --> 00:45:37.900
Right?
886
00:45:37.940 --> 00:45:43.960
So I'm saying who's going to predict? But you know
887
00:45:43.980 --> 00:45:44.260
what I mean?
888
00:45:44.340 --> 00:45:45.519
I'm sorry I forgot.
889
00:45:45.579 --> 00:45:46.840
No, I'm only laughing.
890
00:45:46.980 --> 00:45:49.750
I'm only laughing because for whatever reason, my brain was
891
00:45:49.789 --> 00:45:51.610
like Mitch Marder. And I'm like, no, no, no, Mitch
892
00:45:51.650 --> 00:45:56.809
Marder should have won. But George Stahl had an incredible
893
00:45:56.849 --> 00:45:58.630
playoff run, and especially the cup run.
894
00:45:58.670 --> 00:45:59.789
But yes, go on. I'm sorry.
895
00:46:00.909 --> 00:46:01.730
No, no, no, no.
896
00:46:01.769 --> 00:46:04.369
And you're both right. And I'm saying, I guarantee you
897
00:46:04.409 --> 00:46:08.500
that either Marner or Carter Hart would.
898
00:46:08.389 --> 00:46:10.070
Have won the MVP if they'd won the cup.
899
00:46:10.389 --> 00:46:10.820
They would have.
900
00:46:11.059 --> 00:46:11.460
Oh, yeah.
901
00:46:11.599 --> 00:46:14.860
But they faltered with three games to go. And I
902
00:46:14.880 --> 00:46:17.679
got to say, Roddy Brindamore and the staff there was smart.
903
00:46:17.699 --> 00:46:21.139
They put in Bussey, the Long Island guy, and he
904
00:46:21.159 --> 00:46:22.280
plays unbelievable.
905
00:46:22.380 --> 00:46:24.559
And they play it. You know, it just all flipped.
906
00:46:25.239 --> 00:46:31.349
So I'm just saying for us, we're like, I, I
907
00:46:31.449 --> 00:46:33.530
used to talk not so much on the air, but
908
00:46:33.630 --> 00:46:35.829
I talked to mad ear people that know.
909
00:46:35.889 --> 00:46:37.590
And I'd say, you know, we got a hole here.
910
00:46:38.010 --> 00:46:38.909
You know, let's be honest.
911
00:46:38.929 --> 00:46:40.949
There's a hole there. You got to have someone playing
912
00:46:40.969 --> 00:46:43.429
with Jack. He can't, it can't be a two man line.
913
00:46:43.489 --> 00:46:46.099
Never in the history of hockey. Have I seen a
914
00:46:46.159 --> 00:46:48.920
two man line carry a team or really be dominant.
915
00:46:49.260 --> 00:46:52.820
So you needed that third guy. But when I ask
916
00:46:52.860 --> 00:46:56.980
you guys now, where is our poll?
917
00:46:58.099 --> 00:46:58.829
I don't see it.
918
00:47:00.880 --> 00:47:01.800
Yeah.
919
00:47:01.920 --> 00:47:04.960
The only hope that I have, though, is to see,
920
00:47:05.260 --> 00:47:07.639
and he's been playing great. He's been doing all the
921
00:47:07.679 --> 00:47:10.429
right things, is to see Timo Meier, because that poor
922
00:47:10.469 --> 00:47:13.670
guy's been snakebitten, put someone in that.
923
00:47:14.730 --> 00:47:16.090
Except in the month of March.
924
00:47:16.849 --> 00:47:17.389
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
925
00:47:17.409 --> 00:47:19.650
Except in the month of March. You see the efforts there,
926
00:47:19.690 --> 00:47:21.949
and he's been playing. He likes to score, then. Yeah,
927
00:47:21.989 --> 00:47:23.190
he's been playing great.
928
00:47:23.469 --> 00:47:27.550
He's not going to start filling the nets, guys. You've
929
00:47:27.570 --> 00:47:30.349
got to live with that. He's got to be, you know,
930
00:47:30.409 --> 00:47:33.349
hard on the puck. He's all in every game. But
931
00:47:33.369 --> 00:47:35.590
you're going to need Nico to finish some.
932
00:47:35.769 --> 00:47:37.690
And, you know, Evangelista.
933
00:47:37.909 --> 00:47:41.530
But remember, if you go down the list in even Carolina,
934
00:47:41.550 --> 00:47:46.599
they won. Not every player was scoring goals. Like, I
935
00:47:46.659 --> 00:47:50.179
know what you mean. And Timo's shooting percentage now is
936
00:47:50.239 --> 00:47:56.670
about 2%. But he's trying. And he's better later on.
937
00:47:57.130 --> 00:47:57.730
But you're right.
938
00:47:57.849 --> 00:48:01.329
I mean, a guy like him, he's got to get
939
00:48:01.369 --> 00:48:05.170
to 25. I wish he could go 35 and 40.
940
00:48:05.170 --> 00:48:09.380
But on a well-balanced team that's defense first and does
941
00:48:09.409 --> 00:48:12.139
all those things, if he could just get to 25,
942
00:48:12.119 --> 00:48:14.260
I'll be really happy.
943
00:48:15.539 --> 00:48:16.440
If he does the other stuff.
944
00:48:18.920 --> 00:48:21.739
And, uh, you know, Chico one, one, I got one
945
00:48:21.780 --> 00:48:22.880
last question for you.
946
00:48:23.440 --> 00:48:25.780
Cause I heard there's a, there's a, there's a new
947
00:48:25.820 --> 00:48:30.300
hot dog over at the arena this season. Uh, what
948
00:48:30.340 --> 00:48:33.090
do I, what is the best new food for us
949
00:48:33.190 --> 00:48:37.250
fans to possibly, uh, you know, munch on at the
950
00:48:37.289 --> 00:48:38.510
Prudential center this season?
951
00:48:38.530 --> 00:48:40.010
Do you have any recommendations?
952
00:48:42.030 --> 00:48:43.730
You know what I don't, here's what I would like
953
00:48:43.809 --> 00:48:45.599
you guys to go and check it out. Cause I,
954
00:48:46.099 --> 00:48:49.599
I can't get around drinking the games, but I would
955
00:48:49.619 --> 00:48:51.820
like to find out. I would like that hot dog.
956
00:48:51.860 --> 00:48:53.119
There's other good food.
957
00:48:54.940 --> 00:48:57.280
And you know what? And be demanding.
958
00:48:57.500 --> 00:49:00.449
Like somebody told me, I won't say where they went
959
00:49:00.489 --> 00:49:04.650
and bought something and it wasn't very good.
960
00:49:05.670 --> 00:49:07.710
And they went back and said something.
961
00:49:07.730 --> 00:49:11.289
I mean, they're asking top dollar and you can say,
962
00:49:11.349 --> 00:49:16.320
and most places are good, but you got to say, hey, like,
963
00:49:16.679 --> 00:49:17.679
we're paying top dollar.
964
00:49:17.780 --> 00:49:18.849
We need top service.
965
00:49:18.869 --> 00:49:19.750
Yeah.
966
00:49:20.909 --> 00:49:24.070
So I think, I think, I don't know about you guys,
967
00:49:24.210 --> 00:49:26.809
but doesn't food taste better when we're winning?
968
00:49:27.849 --> 00:49:29.070
Oh, yeah.
969
00:49:29.230 --> 00:49:29.469
Yes.
970
00:49:29.610 --> 00:49:36.699
Yeah. Yeah. Whatever they serve. As long as we're winning. Yeah.
971
00:49:36.739 --> 00:49:38.940
Well, you know, like some green eggs here.
972
00:49:41.909 --> 00:49:45.570
Well you know what the buzz in the building the
973
00:49:45.610 --> 00:49:49.250
other night was just fun like it's an escape we
974
00:49:49.289 --> 00:49:52.110
go there we're going to escape for like two three
975
00:49:52.150 --> 00:49:55.949
hours in entertainment hockey and I see those people you
976
00:49:56.150 --> 00:49:58.090
know where we are we see the people coming up
977
00:49:58.230 --> 00:50:01.510
after the game they're smiling just you know what I
978
00:50:01.550 --> 00:50:04.150
mean they're in a good mood I know it doesn't
979
00:50:04.190 --> 00:50:08.010
change their lives but we just want it's been a
980
00:50:08.070 --> 00:50:10.550
long time I think we've Well, we've been in the
981
00:50:10.610 --> 00:50:14.130
playoffs three out of the last 14 years or something.
982
00:50:14.750 --> 00:50:15.909
Yeah. Something like that.
983
00:50:15.949 --> 00:50:16.289
Yeah.
984
00:50:17.349 --> 00:50:17.650
Yeah.
985
00:50:17.969 --> 00:50:19.449
So I just want, yeah.
986
00:50:20.909 --> 00:50:23.289
Yeah. I, I mean, and here's what I always say.
987
00:50:23.329 --> 00:50:25.309
These guys, like, I don't know what you do, but
988
00:50:25.570 --> 00:50:27.909
they work. Then they got to, they've already paid for
989
00:50:27.949 --> 00:50:30.909
the season tickets. Then they got to pay $ 35 for parking.
990
00:50:31.199 --> 00:50:32.659
They got to come to the game and that's a
991
00:50:32.679 --> 00:50:34.340
bit of an, then they got to go home. Then
992
00:50:34.360 --> 00:50:35.900
they got to get up the next, next morning and
993
00:50:35.940 --> 00:50:41.280
go to work. I'm just saying like, Let's give them
994
00:50:42.460 --> 00:50:44.960
something that, you know, that, but remember you, I don't
995
00:50:44.980 --> 00:50:47.639
know how old you guys all are, but boy, you know,
996
00:50:47.679 --> 00:50:49.960
when we were winning cups in the nineties and even
997
00:50:49.980 --> 00:50:52.260
a little bit after all, it was just.
998
00:50:53.280 --> 00:50:55.579
That was in our prime. That was in our prime
999
00:50:55.619 --> 00:50:56.239
in our heyday.
1000
00:50:56.260 --> 00:50:58.280
I was when you guys were winning cups and like when,
1001
00:50:58.760 --> 00:51:00.969
when the team was always in the playoffs, that was,
1002
00:51:01.329 --> 00:51:03.769
and you take it for granted because you forgot.
1003
00:51:03.530 --> 00:51:05.989
How good it was. You know, every year we're in.
1004
00:51:05.949 --> 00:51:08.239
The playoffs and it was always expected. And you just
1005
00:51:08.280 --> 00:51:10.219
kind of go into the season. You're like, we'll make
1006
00:51:10.239 --> 00:51:10.639
the playoffs.
1007
00:51:10.699 --> 00:51:12.900
It's fine. It's just how far can we get?
1008
00:51:14.239 --> 00:51:15.420
The devils were always faithful.
1009
00:51:15.480 --> 00:51:18.659
Now let me ask you guys this. Let me ask
1010
00:51:18.699 --> 00:51:19.679
you guys this.
1011
00:51:20.039 --> 00:51:24.469
The iconic general manager has been Lou Lamarillo.
1012
00:51:25.349 --> 00:51:25.630
Oh yeah.
1013
00:51:26.070 --> 00:51:30.550
But if Sonny Maida puts together a team that really
1014
00:51:30.590 --> 00:51:33.320
does well and wins the cup, will he match him?
1015
00:51:33.840 --> 00:51:34.940
Will he go beyond him?
1016
00:51:36.659 --> 00:51:37.039
I don't know.
1017
00:51:37.739 --> 00:51:38.780
I'm just asking.
1018
00:51:39.320 --> 00:51:42.949
He was special in his own way, too. But he
1019
00:51:42.969 --> 00:51:45.269
has multiple cups, though. It can't just be one. He's
1020
00:51:45.349 --> 00:51:46.550
got to win at least three.
1021
00:51:47.889 --> 00:51:48.210
Yeah.
1022
00:51:48.610 --> 00:51:50.230
Lou's resume is.
1023
00:51:50.269 --> 00:51:54.789
He has slowly developed with draft picks and other guys.
1024
00:51:54.829 --> 00:51:58.690
What Sonny is doing here, to me, like I said,
1025
00:51:58.730 --> 00:52:03.320
he's not playing it safe. And... He's going after some things.
1026
00:52:03.400 --> 00:52:05.320
If he could put together a cup here in the
1027
00:52:05.380 --> 00:52:09.860
next two years, I'll just be so praising him.
1028
00:52:09.920 --> 00:52:11.480
I mean, I am anyway, but you know what I mean?
1029
00:52:12.380 --> 00:52:17.590
Because, you know, guys, what makes players special, and you
1030
00:52:17.619 --> 00:52:19.389
guys don't know, you're not sitting in the room, but
1031
00:52:19.449 --> 00:52:23.969
it's what happens down in that room. You know, you
1032
00:52:23.989 --> 00:52:27.469
just got to understand a guy can look good, project himself,
1033
00:52:27.909 --> 00:52:30.389
you know, on the ice or, you know, the media can,
1034
00:52:30.739 --> 00:52:35.030
project them. But in the dressing room, they know if
1035
00:52:35.679 --> 00:52:39.030
when crunch time comes, is that guy a game changer
1036
00:52:39.110 --> 00:52:42.170
or is he not? And some are, and some aren't.
1037
00:52:42.929 --> 00:52:43.909
And what I've seen, you.
1038
00:52:43.789 --> 00:52:47.170
Talked about Rodriguez. He'll, he'll put it on the line.
1039
00:52:47.670 --> 00:52:51.610
Meyer will put it on the line. Evangelista, you know?
1040
00:52:52.960 --> 00:52:57.360
So that's what I think's developing. What has to develop
1041
00:52:57.440 --> 00:53:01.340
is in the chemistry of the room, has got to
1042
00:53:01.380 --> 00:53:06.019
be that guy under pressure, I can count on him.
1043
00:53:07.079 --> 00:53:09.760
Either covering for me or making a big play if
1044
00:53:09.840 --> 00:53:12.480
I make a mistake or scoring a big goal.
1045
00:53:13.000 --> 00:53:13.579
And they know.
1046
00:53:14.300 --> 00:53:17.469
They absolutely know those guys. And I think from what
1047
00:53:17.510 --> 00:53:20.829
I'm seeing, because I'm always observing the character of the
1048
00:53:21.190 --> 00:53:24.349
players as well as their skill, because they're all skilled.
1049
00:53:25.409 --> 00:53:29.190
And I got to tell you, I really like our players.
1050
00:53:30.929 --> 00:53:33.449
I'm not just saying that because I'm doing radio, but
1051
00:53:34.010 --> 00:53:36.030
I really do.
1052
00:53:36.869 --> 00:53:37.929
They lay it out there.
1053
00:53:38.750 --> 00:53:42.139
And then you've got to have skill also, and I
1054
00:53:42.179 --> 00:53:45.360
think they've got both. So I think we're in good shape, boys.
1055
00:53:45.400 --> 00:53:46.880
You guys are going to have some fun things to
1056
00:53:46.920 --> 00:53:47.900
talk about this year.
1057
00:53:48.480 --> 00:53:49.039
Oh, yes, sir.
1058
00:53:49.400 --> 00:53:50.059
Absolutely.
1059
00:53:50.500 --> 00:53:53.619
Absolutely. Chico, before I let you go, I'm going to
1060
00:53:54.099 --> 00:53:57.039
sneak you in some rippers, some rippers in Section 8.
1061
00:53:57.039 --> 00:53:58.760
You know, I'm going to sneak you some rippers so
1062
00:53:58.780 --> 00:54:01.449
you can– Oh, okay. Yeah.
1063
00:54:03.380 --> 00:54:04.619
I appreciate that.
1064
00:54:05.480 --> 00:54:05.900
Yeah.
1065
00:54:07.119 --> 00:54:08.099
No, you guys are great.
1066
00:54:08.119 --> 00:54:10.800
And I know I talk a lot, but, you know,
1067
00:54:10.880 --> 00:54:12.059
I've been around the league.
1068
00:54:12.400 --> 00:54:12.880
We love this.
1069
00:54:12.920 --> 00:54:13.400
Thank you.
1070
00:54:13.659 --> 00:54:14.579
I've been around the.
1071
00:54:14.449 --> 00:54:15.070
League 50 years.
1072
00:54:15.090 --> 00:54:21.849
And don't ask me anything about math or science. I
1073
00:54:21.869 --> 00:54:22.670
have no clue.
1074
00:54:23.489 --> 00:54:26.139
But with hockey, I was never drafted.
1075
00:54:26.980 --> 00:54:29.539
And the one things I always looked at, if I
1076
00:54:29.579 --> 00:54:33.920
don't build character and can't work smart, you know, somebody
1077
00:54:33.960 --> 00:54:36.940
says I'm working hard. You say, so what? You know,
1078
00:54:37.000 --> 00:54:41.239
everybody works hard. But are you working hard smart? Because
1079
00:54:41.260 --> 00:54:45.530
if you're working hard stupid, and here's just a little,
1080
00:54:45.889 --> 00:54:49.449
I like Dawson Mercer. But I would watch Dawson, and
1081
00:54:49.469 --> 00:54:52.429
I'm thinking, Dawson, go out there and don't.
1082
00:54:52.289 --> 00:54:56.550
Do like seven or eight one-timers. Do 20. Or 30.
1083
00:54:56.550 --> 00:55:00.519
So it's so automatic. I watch Jack and Jesper around
1084
00:55:00.559 --> 00:55:03.659
the scoring areas, what they're doing, stick handling, shooting the puck.
1085
00:55:04.300 --> 00:55:08.139
I mean, you've got to do things that are going
1086
00:55:08.159 --> 00:55:11.219
to take you to the next level. And that's what
1087
00:55:11.260 --> 00:55:15.539
I mean about some of the guys we have. They
1088
00:55:15.659 --> 00:55:18.800
seem to know and want to get to the next level.
1089
00:55:20.159 --> 00:55:23.760
And that's why I think, I don't know.
1090
00:55:23.780 --> 00:55:25.320
I don't want to go out.
1091
00:55:25.869 --> 00:55:28.119
Too far out on the limb, but I just think
1092
00:55:28.179 --> 00:55:32.579
this team has everything it needs and maybe one little addition,
1093
00:55:32.599 --> 00:55:34.559
you know, a trading deadline.
1094
00:55:35.599 --> 00:55:35.719
Mm-hmm.
1095
00:55:36.840 --> 00:55:37.380
Well said.
1096
00:55:37.519 --> 00:55:37.940
Well said.
1097
00:55:37.980 --> 00:55:42.309
Well, thank you, Chico, for your honesty and giving us
1098
00:55:42.369 --> 00:55:44.789
your time. As always, you're always a good friend of
1099
00:55:44.809 --> 00:55:47.869
the podcast. And I'll also add in some of those
1100
00:55:47.949 --> 00:55:49.289
big chicken fingers as well.
1101
00:55:50.150 --> 00:55:52.050
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
1102
00:55:53.530 --> 00:55:55.489
Well, I just got to say this, and thanks to
1103
00:55:55.610 --> 00:55:56.269
all the listeners.
1104
00:55:56.349 --> 00:55:59.030
I mean, I was there when Sammy started this, just
1105
00:55:59.050 --> 00:56:02.670
like I was the first devil to sign. And when
1106
00:56:02.710 --> 00:56:06.199
I think of where you guys have come, with all
1107
00:56:06.219 --> 00:56:08.719
the competition, you guys have done great.
1108
00:56:08.739 --> 00:56:09.900
Thank you.
1109
00:56:10.039 --> 00:56:16.199
And people should tell their friends because, you know, it's
1110
00:56:16.239 --> 00:56:18.429
good stuff. So anyway, thanks, guys.
1111
00:56:19.210 --> 00:56:19.909
Thanks, Chico.
1112
00:56:20.130 --> 00:56:21.929
And I'll see you again down the road, okay?
1113
00:56:22.400 --> 00:56:23.280
Absolutely.
1114
00:56:23.320 --> 00:56:25.250
Yes. And have a safe trip.
1115
00:56:25.429 --> 00:56:25.630
Yep.
1116
00:56:26.469 --> 00:56:27.010
That is.
1117
00:56:27.030 --> 00:56:27.630
Thanks boy.
1118
00:56:28.070 --> 00:56:33.849
That's Chico rush. New Jersey devils. Good friend of the podcast.
1119
00:56:33.889 --> 00:56:37.659
Great friend of the podcast, actually giving us his insight,
1120
00:56:38.039 --> 00:56:42.340
his knowledge, his experience, just telling you how it is about,
1121
00:56:43.139 --> 00:56:45.500
you know, what has just happened with Connor Hellebuck. And
1122
00:56:45.519 --> 00:56:48.659
then we talk a little bit of Luke evangelista guys
1123
00:56:48.679 --> 00:56:50.469
that we're going to get to our final thoughts, uh,
1124
00:56:51.639 --> 00:56:54.420
Just a wonderful, wonderful interview, guys. I was in the
1125
00:56:54.480 --> 00:56:58.019
background producing, reading the comments and all that. This was
1126
00:56:58.119 --> 00:57:02.420
like an amazing podcast tonight, getting Chico on.
1127
00:57:04.400 --> 00:57:07.960
Yeah, I mean, I always love Chico's insight because he's
1128
00:57:08.019 --> 00:57:11.639
not afraid to tell it like it is. And I really,
1129
00:57:12.239 --> 00:57:16.460
really appreciate that because he can give you from, you know,
1130
00:57:16.539 --> 00:57:19.400
kind of a management perspective. And obviously he can give
1131
00:57:19.420 --> 00:57:22.880
you that player perspective as well. But he's not afraid.
1132
00:57:22.920 --> 00:57:26.539
He doesn't hold back. And it's always truth and honesty
1133
00:57:27.099 --> 00:57:27.980
with Chico.
1134
00:57:28.300 --> 00:57:31.480
And, yeah, I love having him on the show. And
1135
00:57:31.519 --> 00:57:32.500
he's always welcome.
1136
00:57:32.599 --> 00:57:35.760
Chico, if you're still listening out there, you know you're
1137
00:57:35.780 --> 00:57:40.050
always welcome on here. And love his thought process, though,
1138
00:57:40.349 --> 00:57:43.010
on where the team is, how it's structured right now,
1139
00:57:43.469 --> 00:57:47.550
and the job that Sonny has done already in his
1140
00:57:47.969 --> 00:57:48.949
short tenure so far.
1141
00:57:49.889 --> 00:57:50.309
Go ahead.
1142
00:57:51.940 --> 00:57:53.340
No, no, I was just going to say, like, it's
1143
00:57:53.380 --> 00:57:57.800
always such an absolute honor and privilege and just one
1144
00:57:57.820 --> 00:57:59.619
of my favorite human beings to talk to ever.
1145
00:57:59.639 --> 00:58:00.780
Absolutely.
1146
00:58:01.000 --> 00:58:03.139
And just for all the things that Scotty said, but also,
1147
00:58:03.159 --> 00:58:06.550
you know, his insight on the game is really interesting
1148
00:58:06.590 --> 00:58:10.409
because it's not just so... It's not one-sided. Like, he
1149
00:58:10.550 --> 00:58:13.630
really evaluates his team through and through. It's not just like, oh,
1150
00:58:13.789 --> 00:58:15.349
I'll tell you about the goalies because I used to
1151
00:58:15.369 --> 00:58:15.869
play goal.
1152
00:58:15.889 --> 00:58:16.030
He....
1153
00:58:17.659 --> 00:58:20.869
Takes a large picture of this team and can tell
1154
00:58:20.909 --> 00:58:23.989
you every little piece about it and yes he's a
1155
00:58:24.070 --> 00:58:26.050
part of a broadcast team so of course you have
1156
00:58:26.070 --> 00:58:27.250
to do that you have to be able to do
1157
00:58:27.289 --> 00:58:30.340
that but he doesn't he does it in a way
1158
00:58:31.559 --> 00:58:32.940
that someone you know like.
1159
00:58:32.860 --> 00:58:35.179
Me can understand and I love that because.
1160
00:58:34.960 --> 00:58:36.920
There's a lot of times you listen to people talk
1161
00:58:36.940 --> 00:58:38.639
about the team and they're like they get into the
1162
00:58:38.699 --> 00:58:42.400
analytics you barely understand English in general so I'm surprised
1163
00:58:42.460 --> 00:58:44.530
I'm wearing a shirt right now I can't believe I
1164
00:58:44.710 --> 00:58:48.949
am but um But in reality, it's one of my
1165
00:58:48.989 --> 00:58:52.809
favorite things, and I love talking to him.
1166
00:58:53.150 --> 00:58:54.679
We could sit there and talk for the next 10
1167
00:58:54.679 --> 00:58:56.280
hours straight.
1168
00:58:56.420 --> 00:59:00.059
I absolutely enjoy every part of that. And it makes
1169
00:59:00.099 --> 00:59:02.920
me happy, too, because our listeners get a chance to
1170
00:59:03.219 --> 00:59:04.690
hear what he has to say about the team, and
1171
00:59:04.730 --> 00:59:06.110
that's stuff that you're not going to be able to
1172
00:59:06.150 --> 00:59:10.030
hear you know on a typical broadcast so you get
1173
00:59:10.289 --> 00:59:12.909
like a kind of different perspective so that's kind of nice.
1174
00:59:13.280 --> 00:59:16.940
Yeah and what makes I mean what makes Chico perfect
1175
00:59:17.059 --> 00:59:20.679
and Robert Isaacson said it best in the YouTube live
1176
00:59:21.480 --> 00:59:25.460
was this a perfect interview getting Chico on from his
1177
00:59:25.539 --> 00:59:29.380
phone while chilling on his couch Like, that camera angle
1178
00:59:29.500 --> 00:59:32.840
says it all. It's so perfect because it's so Chico,
1179
00:59:33.300 --> 00:59:37.289
and he's so genuine, and he's such a nice, nice
1180
00:59:37.389 --> 00:59:41.929
person and just a great ambassador for the New Jersey Devils.
1181
00:59:42.409 --> 00:59:46.250
I mean, I'm going to say this more and more
1182
00:59:46.289 --> 00:59:48.530
this year. He needs to be in the ring of honor,
1183
00:59:49.150 --> 00:59:49.889
Chico Rush.
1184
00:59:49.929 --> 00:59:50.510
Yes.
1185
00:59:50.969 --> 00:59:54.090
I mean, the body of work from start to finish is,
1186
00:59:54.920 --> 00:59:58.460
And I've talked to a couple original Devils, and Chico,
1187
00:59:58.480 --> 01:00:01.920
when they came to New Jersey, like, these NHL players
1188
01:00:01.940 --> 01:00:04.699
didn't know anything about it. You know, going to New Jersey,
1189
01:00:04.780 --> 01:00:07.429
and Chico was like the ambassador because he was the
1190
01:00:07.510 --> 01:00:11.230
first to be here and trying to get free agents
1191
01:00:11.289 --> 01:00:14.989
to actually sign in New Jersey when there's the Rangers
1192
01:00:15.070 --> 01:00:19.010
and Islanders and Flyers and the Hartford Whalers, like, right next.
1193
01:00:19.110 --> 01:00:19.469
It just.
1194
01:00:20.530 --> 01:00:24.239
Yeah. And he's a huge part of the organization, so.
1195
01:00:25.670 --> 01:00:31.199
We're very privileged to have Chico on this podcast, but
1196
01:00:31.300 --> 01:00:34.539
also you want to hit this. This is my final
1197
01:00:34.579 --> 01:00:40.719
thought with Chico Resch is that he has taught me
1198
01:00:40.820 --> 01:00:44.480
so much that it's actually he gives insight how to
1199
01:00:44.519 --> 01:00:48.219
make the podcast better. You don't see this behind the scenes.
1200
01:00:48.380 --> 01:00:51.530
You and I, we've talked amongst ourselves, but the audience
1201
01:00:51.570 --> 01:00:55.750
listening in, Chico puts so much time into this podcast
1202
01:00:55.889 --> 01:01:00.170
to make it better that he always tells me, Sammy,
1203
01:01:01.550 --> 01:01:06.719
when you make a statement, always follow up the reasons
1204
01:01:06.820 --> 01:01:11.400
why and have at least three. Because you just don't say, oh,
1205
01:01:11.440 --> 01:01:13.300
the Devils are going to win the Stanley Cup. You're
1206
01:01:13.320 --> 01:01:15.000
going to say the Devils are winning the Stanley Cup
1207
01:01:15.280 --> 01:01:19.159
because here are the reasons why. So I'm always constantly reminded,
1208
01:01:19.219 --> 01:01:22.269
I hear Chico's voice sometimes, like I'll make an outlandish statement.
1209
01:01:22.860 --> 01:01:25.000
But I also have to remind myself, I can't be
1210
01:01:25.039 --> 01:01:27.280
trolling all the time. I actually have to have some
1211
01:01:27.320 --> 01:01:30.829
substance behind it, like why Quinn Hughes is going to
1212
01:01:30.849 --> 01:01:34.110
be a New Jersey devil, and Connor Hellebuck being a
1213
01:01:34.150 --> 01:01:39.269
New Jersey devil. And I think the Rutz Hut Rippers
1214
01:01:39.429 --> 01:01:41.900
are the secret sauce to success.
1215
01:01:41.590 --> 01:01:42.090
For the New Jersey.
1216
01:01:42.119 --> 01:01:42.920
Rutz Hut, that's what it was.
1217
01:01:42.980 --> 01:01:43.219
Yeah.
1218
01:01:43.659 --> 01:01:46.460
So I'm going to get.
1219
01:01:45.639 --> 01:01:50.119
Chico five Rutz Hut hot dogs, different kinds, and just
1220
01:01:50.139 --> 01:01:52.380
sneak it in. you know, to Section 8, you know.
1221
01:01:52.400 --> 01:01:55.500
Where he's at. Yeah.
1222
01:01:55.519 --> 01:01:55.820
Very nice.
1223
01:01:55.840 --> 01:02:00.380
You know, if we're getting into the final thought territory,
1224
01:02:00.400 --> 01:02:00.920
I want to say.
1225
01:02:00.940 --> 01:02:01.969
Yeah, it's final thoughted.
1226
01:02:02.510 --> 01:02:07.110
Yeah, yeah, yeah. My final thought for tonight, obviously, like,
1227
01:02:07.130 --> 01:02:09.690
this is... It just makes you happy. I couldn't stop smiling. Like,
1228
01:02:09.710 --> 01:02:11.469
the whole time we were sitting there talking to Chico, it's, like,
1229
01:02:11.489 --> 01:02:14.130
the best. But to kind of step away from that
1230
01:02:14.190 --> 01:02:18.880
conversation really quick, the team is 5-1 in their last six, right?
1231
01:02:20.059 --> 01:02:25.800
They've won some games where you're like, okay, they look convincing.
1232
01:02:25.840 --> 01:02:28.139
Like Chico was talking about, the defensive part of this
1233
01:02:28.199 --> 01:02:31.119
game and this team is really starting to come around.
1234
01:02:31.719 --> 01:02:34.559
Luke Hughes' game is evolving, like right in front of
1235
01:02:34.639 --> 01:02:37.050
your eyes. There's a lot of things that are happening
1236
01:02:37.110 --> 01:02:40.510
on this team that, yes, getting Connor Hellbuck is an
1237
01:02:40.570 --> 01:02:45.409
incredible move, and it really solidifies the back end, but
1238
01:02:46.269 --> 01:02:49.800
this team as a whole... is really starting to put
1239
01:02:49.840 --> 01:02:52.840
things together and it's, it's, it's refreshing to see.
1240
01:02:53.219 --> 01:02:56.239
So hopefully they keep going. Hopefully they keep rolling. And that's,
1241
01:02:56.300 --> 01:02:59.440
that's the, you know, that's the, that's the big thing there.
1242
01:03:00.960 --> 01:03:01.280
Yeah.
1243
01:03:01.659 --> 01:03:04.860
And my final thought, and by the way, Sam Maria
1244
01:03:04.880 --> 01:03:06.960
says to keep on, keep on trolling.
1245
01:03:06.980 --> 01:03:09.300
So keep on keeping on there troking.
1246
01:03:10.500 --> 01:03:14.500
But yeah, obviously big thanks to Chico Rescher coming on
1247
01:03:14.559 --> 01:03:17.429
here and sharing all that insight. Everything that we had
1248
01:03:17.469 --> 01:03:20.880
just mentioned about him, just replay that in your mind
1249
01:03:21.940 --> 01:03:24.820
because it is the truth.
1250
01:03:25.059 --> 01:03:25.519
It really is.
1251
01:03:25.619 --> 01:03:28.239
And Chico speaks the truth. And that's why we love him.
1252
01:03:28.320 --> 01:03:30.019
And he has been such a great friend to us
1253
01:03:30.940 --> 01:03:33.679
coming on many, many times. But one thing that dawned
1254
01:03:33.719 --> 01:03:37.309
on me, though, while we were chatting with Chico, talking
1255
01:03:37.349 --> 01:03:43.090
about Sonny and our GM situations, how refreshing.
1256
01:03:42.550 --> 01:03:46.530
Is it to actually hear from the GM.
1257
01:03:46.550 --> 01:03:49.940
Uh, you know, I, I think we've heard from Sonny
1258
01:03:50.179 --> 01:03:52.980
already more than we've heard from Fitzy, like in his,
1259
01:03:53.000 --> 01:03:57.900
in his entire tenure. Um, so love the fact that
1260
01:03:57.980 --> 01:04:00.960
Sonny is not afraid to get out there and communicate
1261
01:04:01.550 --> 01:04:04.090
with the devil's community like this, because you know what?
1262
01:04:04.150 --> 01:04:06.630
He was a fan growing up too. And this is
1263
01:04:06.670 --> 01:04:09.190
stuff that he probably wanted to hear. Hey, we all
1264
01:04:09.250 --> 01:04:11.150
used to get frustrated with Lou every now and then
1265
01:04:11.170 --> 01:04:13.269
with status quo status quo, you know, we would think
1266
01:04:13.309 --> 01:04:16.440
it was funny after a while, you know, but, I
1267
01:04:16.579 --> 01:04:20.559
love the fact that Sonny is engaging with his fan.
1268
01:04:20.340 --> 01:04:21.059
Base this way.
1269
01:04:21.079 --> 01:04:24.820
He's not hiding and he's going out there and he is,
1270
01:04:25.179 --> 01:04:27.500
you know, at the press conferences and stuff like that.
1271
01:04:27.559 --> 01:04:31.019
So final thought for me is big horns up to
1272
01:04:31.039 --> 01:04:32.659
Sonny for so far, everything he's done.
1273
01:04:32.980 --> 01:04:33.519
Absolutely.
1274
01:04:33.599 --> 01:04:37.440
And I'll echo that statement before we go, because Chico
1275
01:04:37.559 --> 01:04:40.679
asked about, you know, Lou Lamorello and Sonny made it.
1276
01:04:41.260 --> 01:04:44.130
Sonny immediately has a connection with the fans. And this
1277
01:04:44.150 --> 01:04:47.269
is my final, final thought. Because he was a Devils
1278
01:04:47.309 --> 01:04:51.179
fan before he got into this. And this is a
1279
01:04:51.199 --> 01:04:54.300
Devils fan dream to be sitting in that seat. And
1280
01:04:54.340 --> 01:04:57.949
he knows how important it is to New Jersey, to
1281
01:04:57.969 --> 01:05:01.130
the Devils fans, because it takes somebody to be from
1282
01:05:01.170 --> 01:05:04.110
Jersey to know Jersey. And I'll leave it at that
1283
01:05:04.269 --> 01:05:06.429
because anybody.
1284
01:05:06.929 --> 01:05:08.949
You trying to beer-bearing me over here? You're taking my
1285
01:05:08.989 --> 01:05:10.250
final thought and just twisting it.
1286
01:05:10.230 --> 01:05:11.210
Into another final thought?
1287
01:05:11.269 --> 01:05:13.590
Is that what's going on over here? I was actually
1288
01:05:13.610 --> 01:05:15.730
getting to my punchline that was different.
1289
01:05:15.869 --> 01:05:16.449
Oh, okay, okay.
1290
01:05:16.469 --> 01:05:17.210
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
1291
01:05:17.349 --> 01:05:17.679
Love it.
1292
01:05:17.789 --> 01:05:18.150
Continue.
1293
01:05:18.210 --> 01:05:21.659
If anybody tells you, especially in the online trolling world,
1294
01:05:21.860 --> 01:05:25.059
that Devils fans don't know anything about hockey, you just
1295
01:05:25.119 --> 01:05:28.539
tell them, Sonny Mata is a Devils fan, and he's
1296
01:05:28.599 --> 01:05:31.340
kicking your team's ass right now. So that's all you
1297
01:05:31.380 --> 01:05:34.119
have to say, because a Devils fan is running this franchise,
1298
01:05:34.590 --> 01:05:38.260
and I'm loving... Every minute of it. Every minute of it.
1299
01:05:38.940 --> 01:05:41.099
And we're going to put up this podcast on all
1300
01:05:41.119 --> 01:05:46.619
of our podcast pages, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon
1301
01:05:46.659 --> 01:05:52.619
Music Prime, Audible, and on the iHeart app. Great podcast, guys.
1302
01:05:54.440 --> 01:05:58.750
And thank you to everyone on YouTube. Yeah, YouTube.
1303
01:05:58.789 --> 01:06:03.550
Yeah, all the questions, everything. Until next time, let's go Devils.